“He makes me SO MAD!” “She is getting on my last nerve!” Sound familiar? You’ve heard it said that no one can make you mad. But, seriously – it doesn’t feel like that when your all riled up, does it?
I recently watched this TED video that explained it in a way I hadn’t really thought of before. It’s an excellent video, but it you are short on time, just listen to the first four minutes.
Jill Bolte Taylor explains what she calls the 90 Second Rule. Which is that the complete process of thinking a thought which stimulates an emotion, then running a physiological response (i.e. anger). to your blood being completely clean of the chemistry is less than 90 seconds.
So to stay angry more than 90 seconds you have to rethink the thought.
Suddenly these verses take on new meaning:
Joshua 1:8 “Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.”
Hebrews 8:12 “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.”
When God forgives our sins, He really doesn’t think of them anymore! How awesome is that?!
Thoughts, the most private part of us that no one sees or knows about, they are the key to who you are. That is why it so important to guard your mind. Prov. 4:23 “More than anything you guard, protect your mind, for life flows from it.”
So then next time someone is threatening to stomp on your last nerve, take a deep breath and let it go. Choose to think about something positive. Isn’t it awesome and encouraging to realize we have that power within us? No one has the power over us to make us mad. God has wired us to be able to let go of an offense when we choose to forgive and not dwell on it anymore. How cool is that?
90 seconds??? I have to refresh my anger every 90 seconds? What a waste of resources! Thank you for that piece of truth. It shows how much we cajole and nurture feelings of bitterness.
Crazy!?! Isn’t it? I’m going to try not thinking about things that are bugging me and instead think about positive things and see if it works! Maybe that’s why God encourages us to do just that!