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How should Christians understand anger, evaluate it, and respond for good?

We all struggle with anger at times: Our plans suddenly fall through, we lose a prized possession, or our reputation is called into question. More often than not, when anger knocks at the doors of our hearts we easily allow it to take over. But what if getting to the heart of our anger also reveals the way to transform it?

Christopher Ash and Steve Midgley address this question by bringing to bear what the whole Bible has to say about sinful anger―revealing that anger is the sinful response when something we value more than God is taken away or threatened. They reflect on biblical portraits of human anger, God’s righteous anger, and how only the gospel of Jesus Christ brings true freedom―transforming a heart of anger into a heart filled with the love of God.

Reviews:

“Imagine being more skillful, less reactive, and humble in the face of your own anger or the anger of others. Imagine how many relationships could find peace and avoid prolonged wars. The Heart of Anger guides you there. It is gentle and clear, thorough and hopeful. The illustrations will have you saying, ‘That’s me.’ And it will give you direction today.”
―Ed Welch, Counselor and Faculty Member, Christian Counseling & Educational Foundation

“Ash and Midgley have served Christ’s church well by treating the subject of anger in a way that is biblically robust and centered on issues of the heart. In addition to learning much about Scripture’s emphasis on the role of the inner person in effecting lasting change, readers will also realize the delightful alternative of finding joy and satisfaction in the gospel. Pastors, biblical counselors, and all followers of Christ should have this book on their shelves and these concepts in their hearts and lives.”
―Steve Viars, Senior Pastor, Faith Church, Lafayette, Indiana; Director, Faith Legacy Foundation; author, Putting Your Past in Its Place

“Anger, with all its complexity, is still devastatingly simple. This book captures this paradox perfectly. It describes the multiple factors at play in the heart of a person experiencing anger, and it does so with biblical depth and clarity. An excellent guide to the heart of a person’s anger.”
―Jeremy Pierre, Dean of Students, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, Kentucky

“What does the Bible say about anger? Not only do Steve Midgley and Christopher Ash answer this question exhaustively, but they convincingly gather Scripture’s teaching on anger into four accessible core categories. The Heart of Anger is written with pastoral sensitivity, full of personal examples and case studies, and climaxes with a moving description of anger’s antidote: the humility only the gospel of Christ can provide. In addition, Midgley and Ash offer a refreshing insight into the way that listening to Scripture connects us to that humility. In short, The Heart of Anger richly and biblically captures our struggle and our hope in the face of the pandemic of prideful anger that has infected us all since the garden.”
―J. Alasdair Groves, Executive Director, Christian Counseling & Educational Foundation; coauthor, Untangling Emotions

“Anger is a universal human experience and one that often catches us by surprise. Why are we so angry? In this Scripture-saturated book, Christopher Ash and Steve Midgley help us discern what underlies the many manifestations of our anger, while charting a gospel-centered course for change. What difference does Christ make in our struggle with anger? ‘All the difference in the world,’ say Ash and Midgley. And that is good news indeed for angry folk like you and me!”
―Michael R. Emlet, Faculty Member, Christian Counseling & Educational Foundation; author, CrossTalk: Where Life and Scripture Meet and Descriptions and Prescriptions

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