The Bible gives us a lot of warnings about anger and how we should guard against such things. James 1:19 My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, 20 because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires."
Here are just a few verses on anger (and our attitudes): Psalms 37:8, Proverbs 12:16, Proverbs 12:18, Proverbs 14:16-17, Proverbs 14:29, Proverbs 15 -20, and just a few more Proverbs, and some New Testament.
I guess the necessary question to ask is if we have had someone hurt us, betray us or lose confidence in us, and they have been hurtful, can we disconnect ourselves socially and emotionally? There are necessary steps that have to be put in place to protect us from evil and wrongdoing (say in the case of abuse or or physical and even mental abuse). However, if we don't forgive and give it to God, then what do you think happens to us and our walk with God?
Can we bear the fruit of the Spirit that is promised to us in the Bible if we walk according to the Spirit? Can we serve two masters? What do you think happens to us if we cannot forgive? If we give into anger because we have been hurt or marginalized?
Personally, the older I get (soon to be 44 -ugh) the more that I realize that when I give in to anger or bitterness, those traits do not mean a thing to the people who I have these feelings toward. That is to say, that even if I am the victim or the cause of the anger that is directed toward me, when I do not forgive them for it or let God have that, then I risk being separated from God's will in my life. Does this make sense? I can become prisoner to the anger/bitterness and I can let that engulf my whole world. So when I try to bear the fruit of the Spirit - how can I do that when my life is yielding nothing but fruit of the sinful nature...?
Any questions - read Galatians chapter 5 and send me your comments.
Looking forward to hearing all sides to this,
Dante