When we fail to deal with negative emotions as they arise, they affect our peace, joy, serenity, harmony, and love that we feel and reflect to the world around us.
Once we take
the time to inventory our body, soul and spirit and to identify any pain, spiritual
cautions or negative emotions, we can take action to clear the adverse effects
they have on our body, soul and spirit.
We often
perceive the body language of another person or an event we view in life from
our own perspective, colored by the trauma of our past. It is healthy to pray
about one emotion or thought at a time.
We inquire
of God if the thought is absolutely true or a lie from our flesh, the world or
the devil. Is it rooted in some comment or event from our past that pierced our
soul like a splinter that gets infected and troubles us?
We search
the situation and discover how that thought is affecting our reaction to each
moment of our life. What do we believe about that thought? Is it disparaging
and does it cause depression, anxiety or anger?
Journaling
our thoughts at this point is very helpful. It gives us a reference for the
future and helps us to release the pent up negative emotions tying us in knots.
What do
these thoughts make us feel about our self? Do they foster criticism and
self-abuse? Do we harbor unforgiveness toward our self or others in our life
over both the current issues and any events from the past?
Once we take
that negative thought and emotion to God, we can hear His truth about the
situation. How He feels about us is more real, applicable and truthful than our
perception of the event.
Prayer:
Father God,
once we take our negative thoughts to You, one at a time, we perceive the
situation from Your perception rather than from our own faulty, human
perspective. We experience the fruit of Your Spirit flooding our soul, and
replacing our negative thoughts with Your Truth. You taught us that this ends
much of the emotional pain that plagues our soul, which also heals our body and
spirit.
Help us to
accept our self and others exactly as we are and without expecting change. Then
we will eventually stop noticing these inconsistencies or irritating quirks and
painful habits just as we acclimate our self to the noise of a busy highway or
the routine train rattling the rails and blowing its horn as it makes its trips
through our town.
Thought for
the Day:
We do not
need to use additional boundaries and limitations in order to attempt to
control our self, others and life in general - this is human effort, which only
serves to compound our anxiety and anger; it is only as we surrender to God's
will for our life, rejoice in each moment and refrain from borrowing regret
over the past or trouble from tomorrow that we can walk in God's continual
peace, love and joy.
