Unbridled
emotions can adversely impact our life, our relationships, our health and our expression.
When we allow negative emotions to influence our thoughts and behavior, we
suffer the consequences (James 1:20).
Underlining
our negative emotions are feelings that trigger these explosive and unwise
reactions in us, such as: frustration, fatigue, fear, insecurity, as well as feeling
abused, taken advantage of, unappreciated, falsely accused, etc.
We
may even blow up at a slight comment or action, because we have negative
emotions stored up in our soul, and we choose this time to express them. Taking
the time to consider our feelings on a regular basis and journaling the cause
behind them, helps to diffuse them.
Negative
emotions can overwhelm our physical reaction to any situation. A pounding
heart, tension in our nerves and muscles, shortness of breath, tears, sweating,
etc. are all signals that we are in distress.
We
can experience anger - a God-given emotion - but God advises us not to cross
the line to use our anger to hurt another or to lose our self-control. God's
Word also encourages us not to allow the sun to go down on our wrath (Proverbs
29:11; Ephesians 4:26-31).
One
reason for this advice is that if we carry over our negative feelings, they
will join the negative feelings of the next day, and give Satan a foothold to
influence our reactions. We get rid of anger by evaluating why we are angry,
and then changing our focus about the issues (James 1:19-20).
If
we are easily provoked in our soul - our thoughts, emotions and choices
(Proverbs 15:18), we will easily fly off the handle and wound other people. This
is easier said than done, but, it is wise to yield to patience, rather than
anger, so we can reap the positive fruit of patience (Proverbs 14: 29, 16:32,
19:11; Psalm 37:8-9).
Prayer:
Father
God, You advise us to have a gentle answer to prevent arguments and rising
negative emotions (Proverbs 15:1). Help us to take a frequent and searching
inventory of our emotions, and to praise You for the positive ones. Then, help
us to change our focus about the cause of the negative ones. This way we can
rid our self of undesirable attitudes, and have pleasant interactions all the
time (Colossians 3:8; James 4:1-2), and people will be drawn to Christ in us, rather than deciding not to associate
with us (Proverbs 22:24).
We look like a fool when we vent in anger, and this
behavior makes us subject to judgment from You and other people (Matthew 5:22).
You created us with the ability to fight or to run, in order to protect us; but
You do not want us to use destructive emotions to protect our self in a safe
environment. Help us to discover the cause of our anger, and to use our words
to honestly express why we feel angry, rather than to react in anger.
Thought
for the Day:
We
should not judge our self for having negative emotions, because they are God-given red
flags to help us to protect our self from abuse and misunderstandings; however,
praying for God's wisdom, when we feel these intense damaging emotions, will
allow us to access our rational thinking during any emotional situation.
