Emotions on Steroids
God gave us the ability to experience a variety of different emotions. These emotions can be positive: happy, sad, joy, etc. or negative: anger, anxiety, sad, etc. Being in God’s will means we control our emotions regardless of whether they are positive or negative. When we control our emotions, call them under subjection as God has given us the power to do, we can make decisions from a place of knowing what He expects of us. The last few months I have been struggling with my emotional house. My emotions were running rampant and began to overwhelm me. They were churning like an emotional sea within me. Their waves were crashing vehemently against the shores of my soul. I knew something was wrong, yet, tried to ignore it. Tried going through daily life until that sea became too much for me to manage. The storm within forced me to stop, admit I wasn’t okay and needed to do some reflecting to discover Why? Why?
One morning during my prayer time, I asked God what was wrong with me. Why did it seem as though my emotions were getting the best of me? His response…my connection to Him was waning. I don’t know exactly why, however, it was. God, in His way, sent little reminders that I was disconnected. He reminded me that I am to remain in Him always and He will remain in me. That without Him I can’t do anything. That He is the vine and I’m a branch. Without Him, I, one of the branches, will wither away and die (John 15:4-6). He also reminded me that although He gave us emotions, I was allowing mine to have their way with me vs. calling them under subjection as He has given us the ability to do (Luke 1:19). I was allowing the enemy to get all up in my head and feed me lies about the things going on in my life; even though I knew better.
The bottom line, God has not given us a downcast or scary spirit, no, rather, according to 2 Timothy 1:7, God gave us a spirit of “power, love and self-discipline.” He expects us to remain connected to Him. Through disciplining ourselves: studying and applying God’s word to our life and constant communication (prayer) with Him, our spirit won’t waver or crumble under the pressures of this world. He expects us to get emotional about some things, however, our connection to Him keeps our emotions in check. When we allow our emotions to control us, we are distracted and cannot do what He’s called us to do.
Those few months I didn’t write. Didn’t reach out to those who came to mind. I was going through the motions of living. When I finally poured my heart out at God’s feet, He sent an unlikely message about how unchecked emotions can affect my relationships, my thoughts, how I feel about any and everything. Also, about how the state I was in was dangerous and very unhealthy. I had to commit to refocus my gaze on God and the promises He made about my life.
God reminded me that He will not go against His Word or change what He’s promised me (Psalm 89:34). He took me to Joshua 23:14 to further drive that point home, “Now behold, today I am going the way of all the earth, and you know in all your hearts and in all your souls that not one word of all the good words which the LORD your God spoke concerning you has failed; all have been fulfilled for you, not one of them has failed. If I remain in Him, connected to that vine, I will never walk alone. Storms will come, however, if He is in me and I abide in Him, my emotions will not dictate how I react. Oh the lessons we learn when in dark places.
- Worship in Spirit & Truth - December 26, 2018
- Am I Really Enough? - November 29, 2018
- God Promised - October 30, 2018
Thank you Denise, for this timely reminder. Appreciate it so much.How easily the Enemy twists something God intended for good…and strangles us.
Yes. We have the choice to lean in so that we can walk in His will despite our emotions. Thank you for this reminder, Denise. I also want to encourage you to be gentle with yourself–you’ve been through a lot with losing your mom. God is patient. Sometimes going through the motions is all we have at the moment. Hugs.
“When we allow our emotions to control us, we are distracted…” Thx, Denise, for the timely reminder about how God can seem so distant when our eyes are on myself and my emotional state at the moment! I REALLY needed to read this TODAY! Thx.
This is also a good reminder for the importance of community. When we are struggling or feeling far or whatever, having others to stand in the gap for us is paramount! Love you and praying for you!!