The way you feel emotionally when the alarm clock doesn’t wake you up to go to work, the way you miss your friend when they move away, how you feel when you know at some moment in time, something was going to be one of the fondest memories you will ever have as you grow older. “The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.” (Jer. 31:3)
The spirit of man was made in the image of God, Jesus Christ is the express image of the Father, (Heb. 1:3) our Lord has emotions, we have emotions, but, how many people let their emotions get the better of them, so to speak, how many allow them to rule their lives, how many who profess Christ as Lord even attempt to keep their bodies under subjection, and not because they want to leave a good impression upon those they meet, but because of Him who first loved us.
We cannot live without our emotions, but at times I can guarantee that we would just as soon do without them. “Hey! Watch where you’re going!” “Oh, sorry about yesterday, I just wasn’t myself.” Yes, you were, you are always you.
“And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” (Romans 12:2) When we get grumpy and agitated, the logical side of our brain takes a back seat for a time, and that amount of time that you spend being ruled by your emotions is entirely up to you. Some people my friends live their entire lives ruled by those temporary emotions, one after another, some for longer periods of time than others. “So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.” (Romans 14:12)
You will not be able to stand before the Lord on your day of accounting with the excuse that your emotions got the better of you. You are accountable for you in every single circumstance that you will ever find yourself in.
Now, the Most High is not going to judge us as to those emotional outbursts, they will show up and generally unexpectedly, but when they are held onto, when we live a large part of our life in them, He may have some questions for you. It is the Holy Spirit of God “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.” (John 16:13) And only He can say those still small words to your heart, then you must begin assessing the situation with the logical side of who you are.
There are perhaps millions of self-help books on this subject, every one experiences it, and so sales are always good. But there is of course only one answer, and yes, as you were about to think, prayer is a part of that answer, “If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.” (John 14:14) But a large part is also forgiveness, not only to the person you may have snapped at or treated rudely, but forgiveness to yourself. “Well, we’re only human,” yes but part of us isn’t, not even close.
It is the Holy Spirit of God that is to be directing your life, you gave it to Him at the cross, and while I believe I can honestly say while that moment of the realization of His grace being poured out upon us, that our sins were forgiven, was perhaps the most intimate personal moment in your life, it is not how we are to continue in all things, emotionally. There is logical reasoning as to how we are to be willing and available servants, to be ambassadors for the Kingdom, to be Christlike, we must think about our service to Him.
Love is an action, not always planned out, but many times. But it is also an emotion. Perhaps love is the one emotion we should attempt to be led by, both emotionally and logically. “If ye love me, keep my commandments.” (John 14:15)
