Mastering Unhealthy Emotions

Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today – November 13, 2018

But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts. Romans 13:14

Sometimes I feel ungodly emotions. Maybe it’s envy, pride, hatred, jealousy, or lust. Perhaps I’m tempted by a particular desire to do the wrong thing, say the wrong thing, and disobey God.

We all have ungodly emotions from time to time. We can’t stop from feeling these unpleasant emotions, but we can stop from acting on them. How? First by asking God for help in our time of temptation (1 Corinthians 10:13), but also by allowing the conviction we have that is rooted in truth inform our actions, rather than allow our feelings to inform our actions. Meaning, we act according to God’s truth rather than act according to our feelings.

Here’s how it works:

1. You feel an ungodly emotion.
2. You recognize it as ungodly so don’t act on it.
3. You act on your conviction which is ruled by God’s truth instead.

For example, you may feel unpleasant emotions toward a particular person—and perhaps even with good reason. But rather than allow your feelings to drive your behavior, which would cause you to gossip, yell at them, or tell them they are an awful person, you allow God’s truth to “love your enemies” guide your behavior instead. So, you pray for them.  

Perhaps you want to quit your job because you are fed up with management. Their ideas to change the business culture go against your convictions. And you are—frankly—feeling prideful about how right you are, and how wrong they are. You want to march into your boss’s office and tell him his ideas are idiotic. But because you have the Holy Spirit guiding you, you listen when the Lord gives you an internal check telling you that confronting your boss in this way would be very bad.

So, you don’t act according to your feelings. You act according to God’s truth instead. So, rather than tell your boss how stupid his ideas are, in your next meeting with him, you ask him questions about his point of view. You listen with patience and kindness which gives you an opportunity to ask how you can pray for him—all because you were led by your conviction and God’s truth rather than by your ungodly feelings.

Some people think this is “two-faced,” because you have feelings one way but act another. It’s not two-faced. It’s using wisdom. It’s not allowing your carnal, sinful man to control you. This will keep your life from disaster.  

James 1:25 says the person who doesn’t just hear what the Word says but does what it says is the one who is blessed.

Living by truth is wise and it will save you a lot of trouble. It’s leveraging what Satan wants to use for evil to use it for God’s good.

“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect” (Romans 12:2).

Prayer

Lord, I praise you that your commandments and truth keep me on the good and safe path.  When I walk in your ways, I will be blessed. Help me to live by your truth rather than live by my ungodly emotions. Thank you for teaching me. I love you. Amen.

Application

Are you struggling with ungodly emotions? Choose to act according to God’s Word in spite of how you feel today and see what happens.

Related Reading

1 John 2:16; 2 Timothy 3:2-7; Galatians 5:13

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Don’t react according to your feelings, instead respond according to God’s truth. #WisdomHunters #emotions

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