Feelings & Emotions

Feelings and emotions. They can get the best of us. So how do we keep them in check? How do we navigate life daily, overcoming our flesh and trying to be more like Jesus? Let’s pretend for a moment that our feelings are like a little child. Remember when you’ve been around small children, maybe your own, perhaps your grandchildren, or your nieces and nephews – and they run all over and do whatever they want? The parent has to tell them to settle down, stop running, quiet down and sit down! It is the same for us. We must tell our feelings and emotions, “No, I’m not going to respond that way.” “No, I’m not going to say that.” “NO, I’m not going to be selfish and tear that person down.” To be mature in Christ, we need to tell our flesh how it will act. We need to align our lives with God’s Word so that what comes out outwardly is what is in our heart – Jesus.

He needs to be the overflow of joy, peace, and love. He needs to be what we’re showing others. Feelings and emotions will come, but they can be disciplined and discipled to be mature in Christ. What if we apply Proverbs 22:6 to our own emotion-filled journey: “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.”