March 31, 2015
The Mad Board
Mary Southerland
Today’s Truth
Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires (James 1:19-20, NIV).
Friend to Friend
Learning to control anger is a crucial life lesson – one that we need to master and pass on to our children. Up until my young adult years, I had a huge temper. It took very little to make me furious. In moments of anger, I would slam doors, hurl various objects across the room and yell … a lot! I don’t remember anyone telling me what to do with my anger – until I surrendered my heart to God. And believe me, He had plenty to say about it in His Word.
As the years went by, I married, and became the mother of two amazing children who inherited my huge temper. It was now my responsibility to train Jered and Danna in the ways of God, including how to control their anger.
I prayed continually that God would not only give me practical ways to manage my own anger, but that He would enable me to teach my children to control their anger as well. That is how the “mad board” was created.
When Jered was nine years old, we realized that he frequently struggled with his little sister, Danna. She had discovered each and every one of her brother’s emotional buttons and delighted in pushing them as often as she possibly could. Jered’s frustration grew and grew … until the day he finally retaliated. It was not pretty!
My husband Dan and I came up with the “mad board.” Dan cut a long piece of two-inch plywood and drove over 50 nails halfway into the board. He wrote “Jered’s Mad Board” on the piece of wood, and handed it to his curious son. Dan then carefully explained that anytime Jered became frustrated with his sister or felt angry inside, he should pick up a small hammer and drive nails into the board instead of exploding.
Over the next few months, we watched Jered drive a lot of nails into a lot of wood, learning that anger really can be managed in a healthy way. Jered went on to take his anger out on a football field all the way through high school and college. Today, he owns his own construction company, is a husband, a father, and an even-tempered young man who has found constructive ways to manage his anger. In fact, our whole family has learned some anger management techniques you might find helpful:
- Pray for the person or circumstance that caused your anger.
- Memorize five Bible verses on anger and speak them out loud when you are angry.
- Exercise strenuously for 20 minutes.
- Play a solo game of basketball.
- Run an errand for the purpose of a short silent retreat.
- Take a hot shower or bath.
- Breathe in to the count of nine. Hold your breath for a count of nine, and then exhale to the count of nine. Repeat three times.
- Journal your feelings. Even children can do this.
- Take a 15-minute walk.
- Buy a punching bag. Use it to release destructive anger.
The people around us want to see what happens when life pushes our buttons and anger puts the squeeze on our emotions. While God created us with emotions, it is our responsibility to control them instead of allowing them to control us.
Let’s Pray
Father, please forgive me when I allow my anger to take control of my emotions and life. Help me to be more balanced in the way I live so that I won’t be such an easy target for the enemy when it comes to anger. It is so easy to lose control of my emotions when I am not in the Word and not in prayer on a daily basis. I want to make a new commitment to You by making a new commitment to spend consistent time studying the Bible and talking with You.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.
Now It’s Your Turn
Take a few moments to consider the following questions:
Who or what pushes your buttons the most?
What are your present anger management skills? How well do they work?
What factors in your daily schedule make you more anger prone?
Read and memorize the following verses:
- Psalm 4:4 “In your anger do not sin; when you are on your beds, search your hearts and be silent.”
- Ephesians 4:26 "In your anger do not sin. Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry.”
- 1 Corinthians 13:5 “It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.”
More from the Girlfriends
Unresolved anger is destructive and a favorite weapon of the enemy. Learning to control anger is an important spiritual discipline we all need. Need help? Check out Mary’s book, Escaping the Stress Trap for practical ways to control emotions. Be sure to check out the FREE MP3s on Mary’s website. Connect with Mary through email or on Facebook.
Seeking God?
Click here to find out more about
how to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
Girlfriends in God
P.O. Box 1311
Huntersville, NC 28070
[email protected]
www.girlfriendsingod.com
