Resolving Spiritual Struggle of Anger Toward God: Christian Counseling Approaches

Jung Kyung Lee (이정경); Inhyo Cho (조인효)

doi:10.17841/jocag.2016.24.1.201

Resolving Spiritual Struggle of Anger Toward God: Christian Counseling Approaches

Journal of Counseling and Gospel
Abbr : Jocag
2016, 24(1), pp.201-230
DOI : 10.17841/jocag.2016.24.1.201
Publisher : Korean Evangelical Counseling Society
Research Area : Humanities > Christian Theology > Pastoral Counseling
Received : April 18, 2016
Accepted : May 12, 2016

Jung Kyung Lee ¹, Inhyo Cho ²

¹Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary
²숭실대학교

Accredited

ABSTRACT

Anger toward God is the one of common spiritual struggles among Christian clients. Specifically, clients who experience traumatic events such as car accidents, sudden death of loved ones, or natural disasters of natures may feel anger at God. At that time, an existential question such as "Why me?" will be occurred with anger, confusion, or feeling of abandonment. However, clients may deny or repress it because they fear God's punishment, feel guilty about their lack of faith. Denying or repressing it will leave them with unresolved anger at God. Unresolved anger toward God is the most harmful factor of destructing one's relationship with God that can lead to 'emotional atheism.' Therefore, dealing with unresolved anger toward God is an important matter for recovery of their relationship with God. To provide effective interventions for resolving anger toward God, biblical understanding of anger, causes and consequences of anger at God are explained frist. Examples of biblical characters who honestly expressed feeling of abandonment or anger to God provide good insights to encouraging clients to openly process and cry out to God. Counseling techniques of exploring the anger, and rebuilding trust in and intimacy with God can help clients to experience spiritual growth like Job (Job 42:5).

KEYWORDS

Spiritual struggle, anger toward God, unresolved anger toward God, counseling techniques, rebuilding relationship with God

Citation status

* References for papers published after 2023 are currently being built.

[book] Allison, Christopher FitzSimons / 1972 / Guilt, Anger, and God; The Patterns of Our Discontents / The Seabury Press

[journal] 안경승 / 2011 / Violence: Its Beginning, Extending, and Control / 복음과 상담 / 한국복음주의상담학회 16 : 9~36

[journal] Bryant, Alyssa N. / 2008 / The Correlates of Spiritual Struggle during the College Years / The Journal of Higher Education 79(1) : 1~27

[book] Brucker, James / 2004 / The NIV Application Commentary / Zondervan

[book] Cosgrove, Mark P. / 1988 / Counseling for Anger Resources for Christian Counseling Series. Vol. 16 / Word Publishing

[book] Collins, Gary R / 2001 / Biblical Basis of Christian Counseling for People Helpers / Navpress

[confproc] Exline, Julie Juola / 2002 / Rifts and Reconciliation between Humans and God: An Overview / Presentation at an annual meeting of the American Psychological Association

[journal] Exline, Julie Juola / 2003 / Anger toward God: A Brief Overview of Existing Research / Psychology of Religion Newsletter 29(1) : 1~8

[book] Exline, Julie Juola / 2005 / Handbook of Forgiveness / Hove : 73~87

[book] Exline, Julie Juola / 2005 / Handbook of the Psychology of Religion and Spirituality / GuilfordPress : 315~330

[journal] Elwood, Lisa S / 2007 / PTSD-Related Cognitions and Romantic Attachment Style as Moderators of Psychological Symptoms in Victims of Interpersonal Trauma / Journal of Social & Clinical Psychology 26(10) : 1189~1209

[book] Emmons, Robert A. / 2000 / Forgiveness: Theory, Research, and Practice / The Guildford Press : 156~175

[journal] Fincham, Frank D. / 2002 / Forgiveness in Marriage: The Role of Relationship Quality, Attributions, and Empathy / Personal Relationships 9 : 27~37

[journal] Fitchett G. / 1999 / The Role of Religion in Medical Rehabilitation Outcomes: A Longitudinal Study / Rehabilitation Psychology : 1~22

[journal] Gaultiere, William J. / 1989 / A Biblical Perspective on Therapeutic Treatment of Client Anger at God / Journal of Psychology and Christianity 8(3) : 38~46

[book] Hagner, Donald A. / 1995 / Matthew 14-28. World Biblical Commentary. Vol. 33B / Word Books

[journal] 김성환 / 2015 / A Review of Pastoral Counseling for Hwa-byung -Focused on Psychiatric Exploring- / 복음과 상담 / 한국복음주의상담학회 23(1) : 11~45

[journal] Kirkpatrick, Lee A. / 1990 / Attachment Theory and Religion: Childhood Attachments, Religious Beliefs, and Conversion / Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion 29(3) : 315~334

[book] Keizer, Garret / 2002 / The Enigma of Anger : Essays on a Sometimes Deadly Sin / Jossey-Bass

[book] Lawson, Steven J. Job / 2004 / Holman Old Testament Commentary / Hollman Reference

[book] McCloskey, Pat / 1987 / When You Are Angry with God / Paulist Press

[book] McKenna, David L. / 1986 / Job. The communicator’s Commentary. Vol. 12 / Word Books

[journal] Mickley, J. R. / 1998 / God and the Search for Meaning Among Hospice Caregivers / The Hospice Journal 13(4) : 1~17

[journal] Murray-Swank, Nichole A. / 2005 / God, Where Are You?: Evaluating a Spiritual-Integrated Intervetion for Sexaul Abuse / Mental Health, Religion and Culture 8(3) : 191~203

[journal] 오윤선 / 2010 / A Study on the Christian Counseling for Anger Control of Adolescence / 복음과 상담 / 한국복음주의상담학회 14 : 9~34

[journal] Parament, Kenneth I. / 2001 / Religious Struggle as a Predictor of Mortality among Medically Ill Elderly Patients: A 2-Year Longitudinal Study / American Medical Association : 1881~1885

[journal] Koenig H. G. / 1998 / Religious Coping and Health Status in Medically Ill Hospitalized Older Adults / Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease : 513~521

[journal] Pargament, K. I. / 2003 / Red Flags and Religious Coping: Identifying Some Religious Warning Signs among People in Crisis / Journal of Clinical Psychology 59(12) : 1335~1348

[book] Pargament, Kenneth I. / 2005 / Judeo - Christian Perspectives on Psychology: Human Nature, Motivation, and Change / American Psychological Association : 245~268

[confproc] Riordan, Brendan / 1985 / Anger at God / Anger; Issues of Emotional Living in an Age of Stress for Clergy and Religious; The Tenth Psychotheological Symposium / Affirmation Books : 100~115

[journal] Stucke, Tanja S. / 2002 / When a Grandiose Self-Image Is Threatened: Narcissism and Self-Concept Clarity as Predictors of Negative Emotions and Aggression Following Ego-Threat / Journal of Personality 70(4) : 509~532

[journal] Vogels, Walter / 1981 / The Spiritual Growth of Job : A Psychological Approach to the Book of Job / Biblical Theology Bulletin 11 : 77~80

[book] Wenham, Gordon J. / 1982 / Genesis 16-50. Word Biblical Commentary. Vol. 2 / WordBooks

[book] Wilson, Gerald H. / 2002 / Psalms. The NIV Application Commentary / Zondervan

[book] Wilkins, Michael J. / 2004 / Matthew. The NIV Application Commentary / Zondervan

KJCKorea
Journal Central

Journal of Counseling and Gospel 2023 KCI Impact Factor : 0.55

Resolving Spiritual Struggle of Anger Toward God: Christian Counseling Approaches

ABSTRACT

KEYWORDS

Citation status

* References for papers published after 2023 are currently being built.

Journal of Counseling and Gospel 2023 KCI Impact Factor : 0.55

Resolving Spiritual Struggle of Anger Toward God: Christian Counseling Approaches

ABSTRACT

KEYWORDS

Statistics

Tools

Issue List

Citation status

KCI Citation Counts (2)

REFERENCES (35) * References for papers published after 2023 are currently being built.

Search PDF

Citation

* References for papers published after 2023 are currently being built.