Emotions
We all have emotions. God has emotions. Christ had emotions while on the earth as a human. Emotions are a natural part of the human psyche.
A dictionary definition is a good place to begin in taking a look at the role emotions play in our lives – or put another way, the place they should play in our lives.
Emotion – “a complex experience of consciousness, bodily sensation, and behavior that reflects the personal significance of a thing, an event, or a state of affairs.” Of all the things we could discuss in regard to emotions, perhaps the most important is the effect on behavior.
While our emotions can be very motivational, such as in our view and thoughts of God, they can also be very negative if not controlled. Many have become bitter against God due to negative personal circumstances. “He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city” (Proverbs 16:32). It is clear we must develop the ability to manage or rule, our spirit [mind].
This becomes very important in today’s environment. This is because there are so many examples of horrible suffering and outright evil actions that we are exposed to every day, that the mind can become numb. The Apostle Paul apparently observed that in his day when he warned the Church in Ephesus of the Gentile frame of mind. “… because of the blindness of their heart; who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness” (Ephesians 4:18-19). He was warning against becoming callous or apathetic. We might add lukewarmness to that as well.
God is a being with strong emotions and as sons of God, we share those emotions. “Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another” (1 John 4:11). Love is a powerful emotion and it is meant to motivate our behavior – both in relation to godly living and to personal relationships. Godly emotions should be cultivated.
However, we should be careful to examine our emotions, because Satan has the ability to play them like a violin.
“An angry man stirs up strife, and a furious man abounds in transgression” (Proverbs 29:22). “A fool vents all his feelings, but a wise man holds them back” (Proverbs 29:11).
Clearly we need to be very aware of our emotions and control those which can lead us to express feelings or actions contrary to God’s Spirit. We are witnesses to anger and people venting on an almost daily basis. In fact, a lot of what we observe in the political arena is based on emotion.
We are blessed by God to have a filter to filter out negative emotions. God’s Spirit is the Spirit of a sound mind. It is a power that we can draw upon to direct our thinking. But we must use it.
There is a verse in Philippians that we quote often because it is so apropos to our lives in this environment. We are told to meditate – purposefully direct our thoughts – on positive emotions, things of good report. This encouragement of thought is preceded by a very good and helpful promise. “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God, and the peace of God; which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Jesus Christ” (Philippians 4:6-7).
God created us with the capacity to experience emotions. They are a very important part of our connection to God and how we approach life in general. Emotions can be positive or negative, but can be managed and changed.
The Apostle Paul concluded the above remarks by saying: “The things which you have learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you” (Philippians 4:9).
Let us pay attention to ruling our spirit.
Brian Orchard
