Emotions in Check

we’ve been Talking about very practical things

This one might be the thing that trips us up more than anything:

Emotions.

The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?

Our heart/ emotions will lead us astray.

Inside out- emotions pulling triggers and pushing buttons, which affect the behavior of the characters.

This is how many people live. Do your emotions dictate your behaviour? I hope not...

Here we see 2 different responses to emotion.

Job and his wife share the same emotion here. It’s not that Job doesn’t feel anything. It is impossible to suffer that way and not feel. God doesn’t revel in stoicism.

Jesus wept. Jesus had emotion. He flipped over the tables. He felt anger. He was scared before the cross. Yet He didn’t sin.

3 truths about emotions we can learn-

1. How you react matters- “In your anger do not sin”

Job didn’t sin. Had he followed his wife’s advice, he would have. Her emotions were leading her astray.

She wanted him to curse God..

2. Your reaction is decision- Job made a choice to react differently in his emotion.

3. You cannot trust the emotion.

Some will say emotions are bad- not true

God gave us emotions.

Look at the fruits of the Spirit, they are emotions- joy, peace etc.

The key is to put them in their right place

What are the realities of emotions in our day and age-

They are a mess, and people are trusting their hearts to make decisions.

Follow your heart! Yikes…

Where does that get us?

Forget the vows you made- if you feel something for someone else, pursue it.

If someone irritates you, lash out.

Leave churches if you are wounded or offended, regardless of what scripture says.

If you ant it, get it, regardless of what God wants for you.

This is the state of our day and age.

People who follow their hearts, follow the wide path to destruction.

Here is what I encourage you to do church:

Feel deeply, but take every emotion to the truth of Christ. Include Him in your emotions

God I am feeling this: what do you say?

Question emotions- why am I feeling this? Is this truth? Does this emotion help me love god and others, or hinder me. Surrender your emotions to God!

Live slow- slow down. A pause, a break will help you do the right thing…