Good morning beloved. God has given us the opportunity to have another chance to get it right. God says let Him prepare you for this day that stretches out before you. He knows exactly what this day will contain. The best way to be prepared for whatever this day will bring is to spend quality time with Him.
Human beings are an emotional people. Our emotions run the gauntlet of happy, sad, anger, fear, depression, obsessions, petty arguments and drama, tying our present emotions with past negativity, trying to be perfect, running away from change and the list can go on and on. Emotions and feelings may seem to many of us like trivialities—sensations that get in the way of the real work the brain has to do. Part of this surprising insight comes from differentiating between emotion and feeling. What are emotions? I know this sounds like a simplistic question but so often people get emotions confused with mire thoughts. In other words, what they thought something should have been or how someone should have reacted-their feelings.
But, Webster’s dictionary defines emotions as “a conscious mental reaction (as anger or fear) subjectively experienced as strong feeling usually directed toward a specific object and typically accompanied by physiological and behavioral changes in the body. A strong feeling (such as love, anger, joy, hate, or fear). Spiritually defining emotion, “Emotion is the subjective sensation, feeling, and excitement perceived by the soul from its connection to the body. Like love, it is one of the fundamental expressions of the soul. It adds a subjective dimension to thought. It can be an appreciator or depreciator, happy or sad. Emotion connects soul and body, but it is not spiritual, even though it can be aroused by the spiritual. Both God and Satan, angels and demons, can elicit emotion in mankind.”
Have you ever been at a movie and let out a bellowing laugh and snort only to realize no one else is laughing? Have you ever gotten uncomfortable when someone cries in class or in a public place? Emotions are clearly personal, as they often project what we’re feeling on the inside to those around us whether we want it to show or not. Emotions are also interpersonal in that another person’s show of emotion usually triggers a reaction from us—perhaps support if the person is a close friend or awkwardness if the person is a stranger. Emotions are central to any interpersonal relationship, and it’s important to know what causes and influences emotions so we can better understand our own emotions and better respond to others when they display emotions.
How did you learn to express your emotions? Like many aspects of communication and interaction, you likely never received any formal instruction on expressing emotions. Instead, we learn through observation, trial and error, and through occasional explicit guidance (“boys don’t cry” or “smile when you meet someone”). Emotions affect the social and cultural norms. But what does God say about being emotionally involved? This involvement does not include the negative. To be emotionally involved in a healthy way means that you first realize that nothing or anyone is ever going to be perfect. The only perfect person died on the cross so that you and I would have life.
Emotion is both the appreciator and destroyer of the soul. Good emotion brings pleasure to life, while bad emotion is the venom of evil. Emotion is neither love nor thought. It is a vapor from the soul that elicits bodily hormones to arouse powerful desires. It torpedoes the truth and transforms reality into fantasy. It appreciates music and brings pleasure and pain. It is a gentle breeze and a raging storm. Because it is such a powerful indicator of soul balance in the war between Good and Evil, the Christian must become its master or be its slave.
Now, emotions, or feelings, are not bad in and of themselves. But, we must always remember that our emotions arise from our minds, or our souls. Since we are fallen creatures, our emotions have been affected too. That means that not everything we feel is right or proper. We must learn to check our emotions against the Word of God to ensure that we are not led astray by our feelings. This happens far too often in people’s lives. Young girls will give up their purity because they are lost in a sea of emotions. Men abandon their families because they get caught up in emotions. Families and churches are ripped apart because people allow emotions like anger, bitterness and resentment control them.
Of course, God works in our emotions too. He uses the natural responses we have to the events of life to teach us about Him, His will and what He is doing in our lives. Closely associated to our emotions are moods. A mood is, basically, a predominant emotion. An emotionally immature person is usually moody, and has never learned to control his/her moodiness. So whatever the dominant emotion is, that is the one that drives the individual at that time. God endowed us, in His own image, with a mind. We must first learn and acquire knowledge. We are endowed also with the capacity to reason from that knowledge—to think, to plan, to arrive at conclusions, and to make decisions. God intends our minds to direct our actions. But we must learn to do this. And we can never achieve God’s purpose in placing us on this earth unless we first learn to be emotionally mature. The development of right character is the purpose of human life. And character is the ability to come to right knowledge and wisdom, and then to direct the mind and body into this right course.
The great tragedy of this society is that nearly all people mature physically, and maybe almost half even mature mentally somewhat; but very few ever grow up emotionally or spiritually. Today, we even wonder about that because it seems like emotional immaturity is the norm, rather than the exception. The difference between emotional immaturity and emotional maturity can be seen very clearly in the contrast between man’s natural reaction to emotion (which is usually without self-control) and God’s actions (which are always with control).
The Bible is filled with Scriptures that warn us to guard our hearts against emotions such as fear, worry, anxiety, anger, unforgiveness, jealousy, grief and guilt. Yet most of us could name at least one or two that we’re struggling with right now. Maybe you’ve even been holding on to one of these for a long time. Well, now is the time to do something about it! Being emotionally involved means that you are investing your emotions into a person or a subject. It is tending to think with your heart and not your head. So, since it means to invest your emotions, than your emotions should be invested in God and then the human side of emotions will be clearer.
When I learned how my emotions were affecting my overall health, I was forced to take an honest look at the problem. I knew if I didn’t learn to control my emotions, they’d continue to control me. And I couldn’t go on living that way. I learned that emotions can be very powerful in controlling your thought patterns and sometimes cloud what really is a true emotional involvement or just an emotional affair. Oh, did she really go there? Yep I did. Emotional involvement can be a beautiful thing when you know the difference. We all have emotions, and they’re here to stay. I believe one of the main goals of every believer should be emotional stability. We should seek God to learn how to manage our emotions and not allow them to manage us. Make emotional maturity a primary goal in your life!
“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.” 1 Peter 5:8-9
Live life, give people hope. Share your heart, wisdom and resources. Never place a period where God says there should be a comma.
As always peace and blessings, be safe. Remember God loves you and so do I. ©krw 3.12.16
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