‘Good & Angry’ is an excellent resource for pastors, counselors, or believers who want to deepen their understanding of biblical anger or seek help in overcoming their struggles. David Powlison’s extensive counseling experience enabled him to write a theologically astute and practical book on anger that not only addresses the issue biblically but also offers hope for transformation.

Many words seem to conflict with one another. “Good” and “Angry” may seem like two of those words. Is “good anger” an oxymoron, or does it have a biblical basis?  In his book, Good & Angry: Redeeming Anger, Irritation, Complaining, and Bitterness, David Powlison explains that good anger does exist.1 He demonstrates that it is the type of anger exhibited by the Lord Jesus that we are called to imitate. David Powlison (1949–2019) was one of the founders of the modern biblical counseling movement and served as a biblical counselor for over thirty years. In addition to authoring many influential counseling books and articles, he was the Executive Director of the Christian Counseling & Educational Foundation (CCEF) and the editor of the Journal of Biblical Counseling. However, Powlison viewed himself primarily as a sinner who had received the grace and redemption of Christ. It is from this perspective that he was able to graciously write to fellow sinners in need of a Savior.

In many ways, Powlison is the friend all Christians need: one who sets the Word of God before them and doesn’t let them off the hook when it comes to sin. Very few authors of counseling books can claim all people will struggle with their topic, but that’s exactly what Powlison does with anger. Understanding that it is a common struggle, he encourages his audience to read with a pen and highlighter in hand, think critically about the text, and apply it to their lives. Powlison speaks of anger as a neutral human capacity and helpfully delineates between “anger done right” and “anger done wrong.” He does this in a way that encourages his readers to imitate a God who always acts rightly. This is what he calls “the constructive displeasure of mercy.” All of these features and more make this book a great benefit to the biblical counseling movement and the local church.

Summary

The book is divided into four main sections. First, Powlison helps readers consider their personal experience with anger. He argues that all people are angry people and categorizes these experiences into three generalized types: the “Gunslinger,” the “Volcano,” and the “Iceberg.” Even before reading the book, each reader will likely recognize which category best characterizes him.

The second and most extensive section delves into the nature of anger. Powlison discusses the inner workings of the human heart that produce sinful anger. He then describes how that sinful anger can be transformed into a constructive display of mercy, imitating God’s perfect way. This phrase, “constructive display of mercy,” refers to the act of introducing good into bad situations. There is real evil in the world that demands a response. The righteous response is to mercifully engage in the situation and seek to resolve the issue.

Read More

1. David Powlison, Good & Angry: Redeeming Anger, Irritation, Complaining, and Bitterness (Greensboro, NC: New Growth Press, 2016).