Learning to Control Your Feelings

I’m a girl. Which means that one second I can be laughing until I’m crying and the next second I will be crying… literally.

One minute I’m high up in the clouds excited about everything in the world.

The next minute I’m down in the dumps throwing myself a pity party and thinking it’s the end of the world.

I could feel so many different emotions within the same day.

Growing up I only had one wish: that feelings had an off button.

That whenever I chose to I could switch off the button and stop feeling the hurt, discouragement, fear, and pain.

That I’d never have to feel bad things ever again.

But the truth is feelings are a blessing to each one of us, whether good or bad.

Because feelings always come from one source: thoughts.

And it is our feelings that indicate the thoughts that we need to change.

Just like without pain in a certain area of your body the doctor would never know what needed to be healed or fixed, without feelings we would never know what thoughts needed to be removed from our mind.

Often times it’s unresolved conflicts, un-forgiveness, shame, anger, doubt, and hopelessness.

Sometimes I think I’m the only one who feels so strongly so often but looking at God’s Word I see that is far from the truth.

Peter felt fear when he was walking on water because he started doubting instead of trusting God.

Elijah was afraid when Jezebel threatened his life to the point of saying his life wasn’t worth living anymore.

David wept when his town was destroyed and his family carried away by his enemies and distressed when his men became bitter against him.

Hannah cried many tears every year when she went to the temple as she persistently asked God for a son and received no answer.

Every single one of them found themselves at the lowest of lows.

At a place where all they wanted to do was freeze in fear, cry out in anguish, and worry about everything.

Which often times is how I feel when life seems to be out of control and my feelings overwhelm me.

I want to give up on life like Elijah.

I want to waste my nights crying many tears like Hannah.

I want to drown in my fears like Peter.

I want to wallow in self-pity and never have to face another day.

But then I remember what God says in Psalm 30:5 and I remind myself that I don’t need to allow my temporary hurt, worry, or fear take the life out of me because “weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning.”

Life is tough, bad things happen that our out of your control. People you love hurt you.

But when that happens you have two choices you can make, you can be like Elijah and throw your hands up in the air and say “I have had enough, Lord – take my life, it’s not worth living anymore”  (1 Kings 19:4) or you can be like David and after crying all your tears you turn to God and you find your strength in Him (1 Samuel 30:4-6).

It’s up to you.

Peter’s feelings showed him that his mind was fixed on his present circumstances, the crashing waves around him, instead of the Jesus in front of him and therefore he started drowning.

Elijah’s feeling showed him that his mind was focused on Jezebel’s threats to destroy him rather than God’s promises to protect him and fight for him.

What are your feelings showing you today?

Do you trust them more than you trust Jesus and the promises in His Word?

Examine your feelings and see what thoughts are behind them.

And learn to do what David did: turn to God to strengthen you.

Dig into His Words and fill your mind with His promises and truth.

Spend time in His presence and allow Him to lift you up out of your dark pit.

Your feelings don’t need to control you today because you have a God who is in control over everything.

I love what Leah writes in her post about roller-coaster emotions:

“Everything about life is in flux, except Him. Everything on earth is temporary, except Him. Every foundation we build on with crumble, except Him. I’ve been discovering over and over again that if God is the bottom line of my life, then the bottom can never fall out. So let the bad times roll, because good days are just around the corner, life is just life, God is in control, and I’m determined to enjoy the ride.”

Is God the bottom line in your life?

Is He the One you run to when your emotions try to take the better part of you?

Today… remember, you don’t need to feel angry, fearful, worried, or hopeless in any situation you find yourself in.

God is in control and He will help you get rid of your overwhelming feelings if you surrender them into His hands and allow Him to take care of you.

Unfortunately feelings will never have an “off” button, but with Christ you can turn down the volume until they slowly disappear from your life.

Keep your heart focused on Jesus and find joy and peace that is found in Him. Be blessed! -Anna…♥

“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” -Romans 8:28