I use to recoil at the thought of being associated with the word angry, because I thought it would reinforce the narrative that already characterizes black women as aggressive, loud and even unfeminine. An archetype that doesn’t represent me or the many black woman I know. Nevertheless, as I've gotten older my outlook on the angry label has changed because I realize if black woman should be angry it is warranted. What other emotion could possibly articulate how it feels to both be black and a woman, but anger ? Not angry in a victim or an entitled sense, but in a way that makes the controversies surrounding race and gender personal for me.
For me, anger is the long standing discomfort with the world around me and results from the internalized racism of my peers, the over sexualization of women and the disdain for dark skin around the world. Although my first instinct is to run from this emotion with the justification of it not being godly or Christ-like, I think I'm going to sit in this anger awhile. I don't have to be fake or pretend I'm okay with the world around me when I'm not and neither do you Sometimes the best thing you can do is be honest with God. Take heart in the fact that God knows all about you and what you feel. He'll sit with you to work through these feelings whether they're valid or not. I think I've bought into the lie that associates Christian forgiveness with being passive and docile. I am on the journey to learning what forgiveness looks like in the Bible and encourage you to do the same. In the mean time : 1. Affirm your worth- you belong in this world whether the world knows it or not. 2. Be honest about how you feel with God and yourself. You aren't a better or godlier Christian because you don't experience anger. 3. Understand how the Bible deals with the vast array of emotions we experience as human beings. 4. Pray to God , wrestle with God and allow Him to do the work He needs to do in order to make you more like Jesus. Until the ink drips, Akua B
4 Comments
LJ
3/5/2017 05:06:01 pm
Great points, keep writing!
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Dora
3/5/2017 09:26:34 pm
Impressed by the wisdom and articulation of such a young lady. True we don't have to hide our emotions but cast our burdens unto God for he cares for us, allowing him to shape us to be more Christ like indeed. Good read girl
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Edwin Mensah
3/6/2017 06:38:58 pm
Another Great Post ! It is good to channel anger in the right way. To fight injustice and oppression. When Jesus saw how the rich were making merchandise of the poor and turning the temple into a business he flogged them all out and drove them out with anger. Race is sacred. God give us wisdom to confront the challenges of neo-racism.
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Mr. A
3/8/2017 07:44:39 pm
:) Compelling!
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AuthorMy name is Akua B and I'm a lover of all things Africa, natural hair and poetry... Archives
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