Generally, anger could be categorized into two: Righteous Anger and Unrighteous anger.
Righteous anger: Elihu’s anger was righteous. Elihu was upset and angry that God’s character, honor, and reputation were misrepresented and misunderstood by Job and his friends. (Job 32:1-5) Lord Jesus was angry when he saw the worshippers in the Temple at Jerusalem were obstructed, and the holy place was converted to become a den of thieves. ( John 2:13-18) Lord was upset when Jewish people exalted Sabbath over the need of a man with a shriveled hand. (Mark 3:5)
Unrighteous anger: This anger is motivated by pride, is unproductive or damages God’s purposes, or lingers longer than a day. (James 1:20; I Corinthians 10:31; Ephesians 4:26-27) Uncontrolled anger should cause damage to properties or harm to humans. Spouses could end up quarreling and experience domestic violence. Parents could harm, maim, or destroy the spirit of their children. In workplaces, an angry boss could make life miserable for workers.
Foolish anger: “Be not quick in your spirit to become angry, for anger lodges in the heart of fools. (Ecclesiastes 7:8,9) Irritated or frustrated anger springs out of emotions. It could be expressed mildly or violently. However, when it is brooded for a long time, it captures the mind and thoughts. The result is an angry attitude and angry thoughts that result in angry behavior. In other words, anger takes the central position of that personality. Then the anger could go deeper, corrupting the spirit of a person. It is lodged in the hearts of fools.
Suppressed anger: When anger is not expressed, it could be suppressed and repressed. That could affect a person’s body or health. However, that could build up and burst inappropriately. Jonah claimed that he had the right to be angry, but could not express it, so was sulking and was angry enough to die. (Jonah 4: 9)
Overcome anger: Wise people acknowledge the source of anger and depend on God to control and manage the anger. The Spirit of God enables a believer to be patient. (Galatians 5:22-23)
Does anger overwhelm me or do I overcome anger?