I read through the list of words associated with makrothymeō and the slow to anger hit a nerve.  I saw the words and knew I needed to explore this deeper.  

An intruder, so small you can only see it under a microscope,  invades the oyster and settles inside the shell.  The irritation causes a secretion.  The secretion builds layer after layer to form a beautiful pearl. The slow process of dealing with an irritation creates something beautiful and useful.

A different scenario.

Microscopic grain dust collects in the air.  The potential builds. Then an ignition source occurs and boom.  The dust explodes like a bomb.

People deal with anger in similar ways I think.

1. The hot tempered ones who blow up over a situation.  They fire off with anger.  Words are said.  They pop off like a fire cracker.
2. The slow boiling ones who collect all the wrongs until the moment when they explode as if a bomb detonated.
3. They recognize the irritation, they take appropriate protective behaviors to reduce anger and the sources of pain.

But I say unto you, 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          Matthew 5:44

Ignoring the hurt is not the best method for “slow to anger”.  The pearl approach is the right approach.  Go to God.  Place the issue before the Lord.  Pray for the people who are causing you anger.  Focus on their well being.  You can not do that on your own.  Take the irritation to God where he can build a hard seal around it.  He will take the irritation and create something beautiful out of it.

Do not try this on your own.  When we collect the little irritations and do not deal with the hurt, an explosive environment builds just waiting for a source of ignition.

Journal

How do you handle anger?

List hurts that you have experienced. Take them to God. Pray sincerely for the person.  Ask God to take the pain.  Ask the Lord to resolve issues this person my have.  Ask Him to bless the person.  Seek His guidance in how to deal with the situation.  Ask him to create a pearl.

Tomorrow, when is anger the right response?