As humans, we have the capacity to feel things deeply. As our circumstances constantly change, our emotions often change along with them. That’s why so many have used the image of a roller coaster ride to define their journeys and experiences. Sometimes those emotions can become so overwhelming, so strong, so tiring – and even so destructive – that we can reach the point of not wanting to feel anymore at all. At this point, we might describe our situation as being, ironically, another feeling – burnt out.
However, it’s important to remember that God created us to have emotions. They are not inherently bad or meant to destroy us! But just like with everything else He has given to us, we must decide how to use them.
Emotions can be used in positive or negative ways. Compassion can lead us to help someone in need, apathy to ignore them. Anger could lead to helpful solutions against injustice, or it could lead to unrestrained violence. Sadness can lead us to give up or lead us to something – Someone – bigger than ourselves to give us joy.
As we learn from the very first verses of the Bible, one of the things that makes humans unique is that we have a choice. We can choose to obey God and find life, or we can choose to obey self and find struggle, and eventually death. If we choose to obey self, we put our confidence in something that is fallible, capable of being corrupted, confined by time and defined by fickle standards, and is ultimately untrustworthy.
If we choose to obey God, however, we are trusting in the One who stands outside of time and earthly circumstances, the One who never changes, and the One who can be completely trusted in all things. The One who alone is good.
When it comes to our emotions, we can choose to take control of them ourselves, or we can choose to put them under God’s control. Choosing the latter will lead to us not only experiencing peace within ourselves, but we will also be able to extend that peace to others. This is how lives and societies are transformed!
The first step in discovering this peace is through the peace God made possible for us to have with Him. Ever since sin entered the world through Adam and Eve’s rebellion against God, humans have been born into sin and separated from God. But even at that moment, God, by His grace, put into motion His plan to bring us back into relationship with Him. That plan was firmly achieved when Jesus Christ, God in flesh, entered this world to take the punishment for our sins and remove the sentence that we deserved. He was the only sinless One who could make a way for us to Heaven. When He later rose from the grave, He also defeated the power of death. Throughout the Bible, we are urged to put our faith and trust in Jesus Christ, because it is only through Him that we can be set free from all the effects of sin – including our often frenzied and disorderly and draining emotions. In Jesus Christ, we now have direct access to God and all of the perfect blessings that come from Him (see James 1:17).
“Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God” (Romans 5:1-2).
“For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell; And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven” (Colossians 1:19-20).
Remember – Jesus Christ came to show you how deeply God cares for you and wants you to live in His peace. Throughout the Bible, God is described as being gracious, compassionate, slow to anger, and abounding in love (Exodus 34:6-7, Psalm 103:8, Joel 2:13, etc.). And He never changes (Malachi 3:6). We can rely on His steady nature and His desire for our ultimate good.
Once we are committed to obey God and are tethered to Jesus Christ, we receive the gift of His Holy Spirit. Jesus described the Spirit as the One who would guide us and lead us into all truth (see John 16:13).
The Apostle Paul described the Spirit as the down payment or guarantee of eternal life that is to come (see Ephesians 1:13-14 and 2 Corinthians 1:21-22). The Holy Spirit reminds us of our hope, no matter what we face in this life. The Holy Spirit serves as our guide and our power to express our emotions in a way that is glorifying to God and edifying to the world! Emotions under control, not out-of-control.
The Apostle Paul explains in his letter to the Galatians the difference between the fruit of the Spirit and the fruit of our flesh (our natural tendencies) (see Galatians 5:16-26). Flesh-based emotions can lead to all kinds of sin and wickedness, and he provides a long list that includes adultery, idolatry, wrath, selfish ambitions, envy, murders, and much more.
The solution to this is to walk in the Spirit, which sets us free to feel and act in love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
Through the Holy Spirit in us, from root to fruit, our emotions can be centered on and properly controlled by God, Who made all things and does all things well, and Who continues to draw us into lifegiving relationship with Him.
Think of this. Through this power, all of the emotions that the world tends to see as bad are transformed into something truly beautiful. When our hearts are focused on the everlasting Kingdom of heaven, we do not have to be controlled by ups and downs of the temporary dying kingdom of this earth.
“For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God” (Ephesians 3:14-19).
Jesus promised those who are His: “I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you” (John 14:18), and “Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen” (Matthew 28:20).
Committed to God’s ways, tethered to Christ, and guided and empowered by the Holy Spirit, your emotions have the ability to draw you closer to God. As you face uncertainties and trials in this life, His compassion and truth can give you hope and strength. And above all, He can give you joy and peace in every circumstance.
“Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee” (Isaiah 26:3).
“These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).