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Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry (James 1:19, NLT).
What is a Miggy Moment?
Several years ago, I started using the phrase “Miggy” after reading about a small part of the brain named the amygdala.
It’s the part of the brain that takes over in emergencies and activates either a fight or flight response. During a crisis, the amygdala disconnects the reasoning part of our brain so that we react quickly.
That’s fine during the Battle of the Bulge in World War II, but not so much when discussing finances with a spouse. An out-of-control amygdala stomps on the gas pedal, storms out of meetings, strikes with blunt force, and says things we later regret.
During Miggy Moments, we lose perspective.
We let raw emotions run rampant without reasoning or self-control. We become raging bulls — helpful for a tornado, a prowler, or a housefire, but dangerous and destructive in relationships or when someone cuts us off in traffic.
Brain science now teaches that un-curtailed Miggy Moments can become a pattern of living. Overusage wires our amygdala to be the first responder to everything — large or small, threatening or docile, emergency or opportunity — causing us to react with an unreasonable response.
Are you living a Miggy life?
Living from one Miggy to another destroys our health — like revving the engine of a car, never changing the oil, and without regard for stoplights! As the Psalmist teaches. . .
Cease from anger and abandon wrath; Do not get upset; it leads only to evildoing (Psalm 37:8, NASB).
What can we do?
- Practice mindfulness.
Miggies can hijack the mind. It doesn’t take long. Have you ever felt your peace dissipate instantly when someone says something insulting? Learn to stop, breathe, and ask the question, “How should I react?”
Refraining your response for a few seconds allows your brain to reset with a sounder perspective.
- Quote “anti-Miggy” verses in the morning.
Memorizing and reviewing James 1:19 in the morning will help you prepare for unexpected Miggy-producing stress moments.
Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry (James 1:19, NLT).
- Read Interruptions every morning.
I’m not just self-promoting, but good habits put our brains on autopilot with pre-sets for our immediate reactions. One small beneficial habit enables others, even seemingly different habits, to develop.
Let’s not mess with Miggy Moments but overcome them with the power of the Spirit.