Anger and Blood Pressure
A San Francisco physician, Dr. Charles Miner Cooper, in an article, "Heart to Heart Advice About Heart Trouble," says, "You must curb your emotional reactions. When I tell you that I have known a patient's blood pressure to jump sixty points almost instantaneously in response to an outburst of anger, you can understand what strain such reactions can throw upon the heart."
Anyone who is "quick on the trigger," wrote Dr. Cooper, is apt to blame someone else, impulsively, for a mistake or fault. It would be much wiser simply to avoid being upset by what is already done.
The eminent Scottish surgeon, Dr. John Hunter, once had a serious heart condition himself. He also had a thorough understanding of the adverse effect of strong emotion on his heart condition. His life, he said, was literally at the mercy of anyone who could annoy him. His death, in fact, followed a heart attack caused by a fit of anger when he forgot to discipline his emotions!
Many suffer poor health because of poor diet! Countless others suffer — not because of what they eat — but from what eats away at them — their emotions!
Physical Diseases Caused by Uncontrolled Emotions
Remember, when you are angry, adrenalin shoots through the body. You're then ready for action. A person cannot continue to live under strong emotional strains for long without suffering dire physical, emotional or mental consequences from these body chemicals. In some respects, the human body is like a machine. A machine may be "revved up" to its full speed at times with little or no damage. But if this is done frequently or continued very long, undue wear and ultimate engine failure inevitably result!
Listen to this testimony:
"In my own practice," says Dr. Kurt S. Wachtel, "I have found that many organic symptoms and disease entities are also often caused by the mind" (Your Mind Can Make You Sick or Well, Dr. Wachtel, p. 11). He then lists, among others, the following: ulcers, jaundice, gall bladder disease and liver damage, diarrhea, constipation, vomiting and colic, thyroid disease, obesity, leanness, palpitation, hypertension, coronary disease, cerebral hemorrhage, stroke, arthritis, rheumatism, gout, asthma, bronchitis, sinusitis and frequent colds.
Notice how many diseases are now believed to be either partially or wholly caused by the uncontrolled emotions of an undisciplined mind. This does not mean that all such diseases are always caused by wrong emotions. Many diseases can have a variety of causes.
In her book, Mind and Body, Dr. H. Flanders Dunbar mentions such diseases as allergies, tuberculosis, hysterical blindness, high blood pressure, migraine, colitis, diabetes, hay fever, and numerous others. She feels all of these ailments are either of psychosomatic origin or are closely associated with "mental and emotional disturbances."
Add to this list goiter, constipation, epilepsy, painful menstruation, impotence, frigidity, hives and false pregnancy.
Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis and cancer are also believed by Dr. Winter to be, in part, of psychosomatic origin (Are Your Troubles Psychosomatic? Winter, p. 17).
Nobody knows for sure the full extent to which the mind affects the body. There can be no question, however, that runaway emotions can and do drastically affect the functioning of the human body. They certainly impair its normal functions, bringing on physical deterioration, disease, suffering and all too often premature death!
Man has only recently come to realize the true significance of this psychosomatic (mind-body) relationship. Though it has been revealed in the Bible all these centuries.
If man had believed God, he could have known this truth thousands of years sooner.
For the past three thousand years, God's written Word has faithfully and consistently proclaimed to man that the way of sin, of disobedience, of rebellion against God's laws, will always produce suffering and untimely death. Man has been reluctant — if not totally unwilling — to heed God's warning! And he has reaped a mountain of sin, woe, disease, mental anguish and death!
Solomon Understood Psychosomatics
King Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived, definitely knew of this psychosomatic (mind-body) relationship. He was inspired by the Holy Spirit to mention psychosomatic relationships throughout the Book of Proverbs. Notice a few of these examples often overlooked even by doctors:
A hardened, merciless man does detriment to his own health, his own flesh, when he maintains his hardhearted, cruel attitude toward his fellow human beings. "The merciful man does good to his own soul: but he that is cruel troubles his own flesh" (Prov. 11:17; see also Prov. 12:10).
It is better to have very few material possessions where there is peace, love and harmony, than to have a mansion, limousines, a huge bank account — with strife, bickering and hatred in the family! "All the days of the afflicted are evil: but he that is of a merry heart hath a continual feast. Better is little with the fear of the Lord than great treasure and trouble therewith. Better is a dinner of herbs where love is, than a stalled ox and hatred therewith" (Prov. 15:15-17).
"Better is a dry morsel, and quietness therewith, than an house full of sacrifices with strife" (Prov. 17:1).
Notice Proverbs 14:30: "A sound heart is the life of the flesh: but envy the rottenness of the bones." Envy is one of those human emotions which has a bad effect on the body.
"Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones" (Prov. 16:24).
"The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly" (Prov. 18:8). Have we not all experienced some gossipy, cutting remark which a careless tongue had uttered in regard to ourselves? Don't such verbal wounds make your stomach churn and knot up?
Notice how the fifth commandment contains a promise of longevity. "Honor thy father and thy mother, as the Lord thy God hath commanded thee; that thy days may be prolonged, and that it may go well with thee, in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee" (Deut. 5:16, Eph. 6:1).
"He that is slow to anger [controls his temper] is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that takes a city" (Prov. 16:32).
Many (if not all) of the great conquerors of history were men who, though they conquered nations and ruled vast empires, yet were unable to govern their emotions. Alexander the Great was given over to temper tantrums, had fits, thrust his best friend through with a spear. He died in a drunken debauch at the age of 33 after a period of prolonged dissipation at Babylon. He had conquered the whole civilized world, but could not conquer himself!
And remember that emotions of themselves are not evil! God created them. He does not want us to squelch them, but rather learn to control them!
God Himself has emotions! He hates sin, but He loves every sinner (John 3:16).
The right kind of anger, fear and other emotions play a vital part in our lives when properly controlled! As an example, when your house catches fire, fear motivates you to save yourself, others or your physical property by fleeing or by putting out the fire.
How to Control Emotions
How, then, can man ever learn to control or master his emotions instead of letting them master him? He can't do this of himself! Man can never learn to control his emotions without help from God. "O, Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps" (Jer. 10:23). Man can learn to control his emotions only when he learns to obey God and let His love be "shed abroad" in his heart by the Holy Spirit (Rom. 5:5).
But before one can receive God's Spirit, he must (1) repent of breaking the laws of God, accept Christ as his personal Savior and (2) he must be baptized (Acts 2:38). God's laws must be written in man's mind and heart before he can keep them! (Heb. 8:10, Deut. 5:29)
God's Word points out to man the only true way to real peace of mind, health and happiness! "Great peace have they that love thy law, and nothing shall offend them" (Psa. 119:165).
Learn to love and obey God's law. Then you can have "perfect peace" of mind. "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee . . ." (Isa. 26:3). Once man begins to keep the laws and commandments of Almighty God, then and only then will he have peace of mind, health, happiness and the promise of eternal life.
"My son, forget not my law, but let your heart keep my commandments; For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee" (Prov. 3:1-2). Notice that if one keeps God's law, long life and peace will naturally ensue.
"Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil. It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones" (vs. 7, 8). Truly, the keeping of God's commandments will produce radiant health!
When a man develops a wholesome, clean fear of the Lord and quits transgressing God's laws (I John 3:4), then, and only then, will he have real health.
"My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh" (Prov. 4:20-22).
Unfortunately, today, many professing Christians believe God is a harsh, stern taskmaster. His law is looked upon as being hostile to man and against man's best interests. Nothing could be farther from the truth! God's law is the way of love and good health.
God's Love Defined
Countless millions woefully misunderstand the true meaning of love. Love is often looked upon as a fluffy, sentimental feeling. But God's love is not an ethereal, nebulous nothingness. It is the most dynamic force in the whole Universe!
"God is love" (I John 4:8). "For THIS is the love of God, that we KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS: and HIS COMMANDMENTS ARE NOT GRIEVOUS" (I John 5:3). Why can't people believe God's Word?
Emotional Control — Result of Divine Love
He who is filled with the love of God will not have fear, because "Perfect love casteth out fear" (I John 4:18).
He will not have hatred toward anyone, because he will obey Christ's command: "Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you" (Matt. 5:44). He will not be weighed down with feelings of guilt. He knows he has repented and God has forgiven him of all his sins (I John 1:9).
One who is really filled with the true love of God will not hate anyone (I John 3:15). Will not fear anyone or anything (including even death), "For He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee" (Heb. 13:5). (Also note God's promises found in the 23rd Psalm)
Such a person will not worry about the future. He will have serene faith in God's promise: "My God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus" (Phil. 4:19). (See also Matt. 6:33) He will not be frustrated, or plagued with the emotional upsets which beset the average person, leading to sickness and early death. Only through the indwelling presence of God's love — His Spirit — can man ever learn to control such emotions as hate, worry and guilt.
Today, millions are slowly committing suicide by harboring wrong emotions! Countless millions are sick — mentally and physically! How can man ever acquire a sound mind and body?
"The end of the matter, all having been heard: "Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole man" (Eccl. 12:13, Jewish translation). If one will keep all of God's commands, he will become a balanced, whole, sound individual — both in mind and in body!
Yes, Jesus Christ knew what He was talking about, and He literally meant what He said when He solemnly declared, "I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly" (John 10:10). Only through heeding the Word of God, keeping His commandments and living by His laws, can mankind ever attain to real health, happiness, peace of mind and eternal life! This is how mankind can stop committing suicide!