 January 13, 1999
FAMILY MATTERS:
You can bring your emotions under control
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Steve Smith
Minister to Singles
Prestonwood Baptist
Church, Dallas
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How can I keep myself
from being so emotional?
___ It is important to understand that emotions are natural; they are neither good nor bad.
___The word "emotion" simply means energy in motion. Our journey through this life would be incomplete without emotions. A life-changing challenge for all of us is to learn how to handle our emotions in a healthy, productive manner. I suggest four critical tools or principles that will assist us as we navigate our way through life:
___ Delay immediate gratification. The philosophy of our day states that if we are comfortable, satisfied and fulfilled, we must be in the center of the will of God. To further confuse us, the world system is constantly pushing us to attain possessions and position at break-neck speed. We have become conditioned to believe we shouldn't have to wait for anything that we desire. This wild expectation then plays havoc with our emotional well-being. When we wait for something we need and desire, we build character.
___ Search for balance. One of the greatest acts of kindness an individual can do for himself or herself is find and maintain a well-managed life disciplined in the spiritual, physical and mental aspects of life. Finding this kind of balance is a dance we all must do.
___ Accept responsibility for your actions. It always is easy to blame someone else for the negative experiences and emotions of life. Transferring the responsibility of your actions can become a destructive pattern that many people never recover from. As we accept our part of failure, we create an atmosphere in which we can heal from the damaged emotions of the experience.
___ Be dedicated to the truth. Most negative emotions we experience come from five major difficulties of life. To help us deal with each of these problems, Scripture identifies them and gives us a healing antidote. For the problem of pride, we are admonished to embrace humility (1 Peter 5:6). When we are caught in the grip of fear, peace mends as we trust in the Lord (Proverbs 3:5). In the valley of loneliness, we can find fellowship in God (Psalm 40:1-5). Knowing the value that God has placed on each of us can only combat the shame that our past failures bring us (Philippians 1:6). When the rage of anger fills our heart, we can find refuge and forgiveness in the kindness of Christ (Isaiah 54:10).
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