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 it another way, the place they should play in our lives.
Emotions are “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. To avoid bitterness, it is clear that we must develop the ability to manage or rule our minds. “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).
This becomes very important in today’s environment. Because there are so many examples of horrible suffering and outright evil actions that we are exposed to every day, 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.
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), “for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God” (James 1:20).
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 (2 Timothy 1:7). But we must use it.
Paul wrote in the book of Philippians something that 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: “Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things” (Philippians 4:8).
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).
Again, the capacity to experience emotions is a very important part of our connection to God and how we approach life in general. And being aware that our emotions can be positive or negative is a prerequisite to remembering that God has given us the capacity to manage and change them. When we direct our emotions in a positive manner we can experience peace in our relationship with God and as we interact among our personal and business relationships.
We do need to pay attention to ruling our spirit. We all benefit when we do so.
Brian Orchard