Managing Your Emotions Part 3: Emotions Are Good!

The last two posts have discussed why it's a bad idea to be led by our emotions and why it's so hard not to be.  Parts 1 and 2 are on the right side of the page if you would like to read them.

Honestly, emotions have cost me quite a lot through the years; relationships, tears, integrity, sleepless nights and most of all, peace.  I've often wished I could just flip a switch and turn them off forever but nope, they are as constant as the color of my eyes.

Why, oh why would God give us emotions if they are capable of causing us so much trouble?  Genesis 1:27 says that we are created in His image so that means God has emotions too. 

• Anger - Psalm 7:11, Ezra 5:13, Exodus 22:24, Deuteronomy 9:22, Romans 1:18
• Laughter - Psalm 2:4 & 37:13,  Proverbs 1:26  (I can't wait to hear God laugh!)
• Compassion - Psalm 103:13 & 135:14, Ezekiel 33:19
• Grief - Genesis 6:6, Psalm 78:40, Isaiah 68:10
• Love - Jeremiah 31:3, John 3:16, 1 John 4:8
• Jealousy - Exodus 20:5 & 34:14, Joshua 24:19
• Joy - Jeremiah 32:41, Zephaniah 3:17, Isaiah 62:5 

Isn't it comforting to know that our King not only knows WHAT we are feeling but HOW we are feeling as well?  That's what makes Him relatable which enables us to have a trusting relationship with Him.  Emotions are also what make us relatable to others we need to reach for Christ.  Our sympathy leads to forgiveness, our compassion to giving, our love to sharing Jesus, our anger to seeking change, our grief to the comforting arms of our Father. 

Emotions are good, they just weren't created to be in charge!

As much trouble as I've gotten myself into by not controlling my emotions, I have to admit that life would be pretty bland without them.  Think of what it must have been like when TV switched from black and white to Technicolor!  Yowzers (that's what I imagine people would have said back then)!  Feelings make life more colorful and lively.  With anger, sadness and loneliness, you also get laughing so hard you can't breathe, the tingle of holding your husband's hand and tears of joy when you hear "mama" for the first time.  It's worth it!

Emotions are a gift from God.  They are good, but like other gifts from the Lord, Satan tries to twist them into something that can cause us harm.  We've let him get away with that for far too long.  It's time we took back control of our emotions.  They don't need to be the star of the show, just the Technicolor icing on top!

The next post will look at ways we can put emotions in their place.  Please, please, please message me, email me, call me, smoke signal me with your ideas...I need your input!