Emotions: What's going on on the inside?

Introduction

Tonight I want to talk to you about emotions and what the Bible has to say about emotions. This is a big topic so we won’t get into every possible detail. Tonight we will begin our series on emotions. Tonight will be a general overview and then we will address some specific emotions over the next several weeks.

I am by no means an emotional expert. I am human too. I deal with emotions. I can only share what the Bible teaches on the subject and we can all learn together what God has to tell us about our emotions.

I. The Reality of Emotions

We all have emotions. Some are just better at hiding them than others. We all have emotions. Every minute of every day we are experiencing some emotion. This is just the way that God has wired us.

A. Humans have emotions

We all have emotions. Some are just better at hiding them than others. We all have emotions. Every minute of every day we are experiencing some emotion. This is just the way that God has wired us.

The Bible speaks of the human in three parts: Body, Soul and Spirit. We have the physical part, the body, and the spiritual part the soul and spirit. Our soul will live forever. Our spirit is the part that includes our heart and mind. Our thoughts. This is the non-physical part that is still part of being human. Emotions are part of this part we call the spirit.

Joy

Love (For God and One another)

(love for God)

(Love for Others)

Sorrow and Pain (Sadness)

Fear

Anger

Others: Jealousy; Pride; Anxiety; Peace; Guilt; Shame

B. God has emotions

Human emotions imperfectly point to God’s emotions. We are made in the image of God. Our emotions can reflect God’s emotions. Our emotions are tainted by sin but God’s emotions are perfect.

Love

Compassion (pity)

Joy and Delight

Anger

II. The Revelation of Emotions

(what emotions reveal about us and our living condition)

A. Dependency and finitude of human life

We are subject to our emotions

B. Emotions reveal our sinful fallen state

Fear, Shame, Guilt

II. The Regulation of Emotions

(Control of Emotions)

A. Emotions are changeable

Proverbs 14:13 KJV 1900

Even in laughter the heart is sorrowful; And the end of that mirth is heaviness.

Proverbs 14:13

If we let emotions control us, that is dangerous

Proverbs 25:28 KJV 1900

He that hath no rule over his own spirit Is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.

B. Believers are called to control emotions rather than be controlled by emotions

Ephesians 4:26 KJV 1900

Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:

Colossians 3:8 KJV 1900

But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.

This verse suggests that we can control our anger

James 1:19–20 KJV 1900

Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.

This verse suggests that we can control our anger

We do this in the power of the Spirit

This verse suggests that we can control our anger

We do this in the power of the Spirit

Galatians 5:22–23 KJV 1900

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

Ephesians 5:18 KJV 1900

And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;

We need to be controlled by the Spirit of God, rather than our emotions and the circumstances which drive our emotions.

C. Emotions are not wrong: It is what we do with our emotions that can be wrong

1. Allow your emotions to draw you closer to God

Allow your emotions to draw you closer to God

Understand what they are and how they reflect God’s emotions

Understand why you are experiencing the emotion and what it is teaching you about God.

Ex. Fear: When you are afraid, it may be that you don’t fully trust in God and His sovereignty

2. Acknowledge your emotion ()

The Psalmist does not shy away from his emotion

He lays it out before God (verse 3, 6)

He expresses the questions that he has (Verse 5)

He even questions God some (Verse 9)

He doesn’t let his emotions make him forget who God is and that he can hope in God (verse 5b, 11b)

*The Psalms are a great place to look for help on how to respond to emotions

Many of them deal with the topic of fear, guilt, shame, grief, and other emotions

We can learn from these godly individuals with how they dealt with the emotions and how they brought them closer to God.