DEALING WITH FEELINGS

Have you thanked Him?

Have you praised Him?

Have you made it your priority to agree and cooperate with Him today?

Have you taken that deep breath and listened for what He has for you today?

1 Timothy 2:1 (The Message)

^1-3The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know.

Ask anyone. My emotions get the best of me more often than I would care to admit. I can be rash. I can be impulsive. My mouth can pop off with things that make my heart curious and those around me scratch their proverbial heads.

And while I am daily striving to improve, there are still some things that incite the “worst” in me. Just come to the house on Buckeye football day or let someone talk smack about my FREEDOM family and Pastor may not be the first label you would attach to me. But I am working on it.

But I am sure I am the only one who struggles with throttling my feelings. I am sure that never is a problem for you right?

The truth is that one of the most challenging things in our walk with Christ is "dealing with all of these feelings”. Sometimes I wonder why GOD gave us “so many of them”. I mean many people take medications to keep them in check. Other folks try aromatherapy and mood rooms to rein them in. Others still lean on magic rocks and incantations to "subdue the moods".

But life can get downright GOOFY when we are controlled by our feelings.

Why?

Feelings fluctuate

Feelings change from day to day, hour to hour, even moment to moment. Not only do they change, they lie.

I love this from Joyce Meyer on the fickleness and the faultiness of“feelings”.

“For example, you may be in a crowd of people and feel that everybody is talking about you, but that doesn't mean they are. You may feel that nobody understands you, but that doesn't mean they don't. You may feel you are misunderstood, unappreciated or even mistreated, but that doesn't mean it is true. If we want to be mature, disciplined people, we must be determined not to walk according to what we feel.”

And just how do we do that? How do we “temper” the tantrums and “marshal” our mayhem?

By seeking GOD rather than following the “feeling”.

2 Thessalonians 3:5

May the Master take you by the hand and lead you along the path of God’s love and Christ’s endurance.

Most of the time we can corral those crazy feelings by just taking a step back from the impetus, taking a deep breath and counting to ten. This allows GOD a chance to weigh in or give us a second to bring Him to the situation.

2 Corinthians 10:5

…(fit) every loose thought and emotion and impulse into the structure of life shaped by Christ.

Christ never had an occasion where He left His emotions and feelings unchecked. Even when He cleared the temple He was fully in charge of His anger and His wrath, it didn’t control Him.

So today instead of following those faulty feelings, let’s step back, take a breath, count to 10 and then let's do the most important thing, pray; give GOD the chance to help.

Philippians 4:7

…Learn to pray about everything. Give thanks to God as you ask Him for what you need. 7 The peace of God is much greater than the human mind can understand.

This peace will keep your hearts and minds (and FEELINGS) through Christ Jesus.

I love you all!

Freedom Church

Pastor GDelaney