Our emotions are so fickle. When we allow our emotions to rule our lives, we have entered a trap. When we learn how to rule our emotions, we are no longer trapped by a deceptive enemy, but walking in a freedom that knows no boundaries!
I’ve lived both ways, and I’ll gladly take this life of freedom that I am so blessed to now lead!
I used to listen to my emotions before the truth of the Word, making serious life decisions based on how I “felt.” It was a poisonous mistake, and I paid dearly for that mistake. The truth of God’s Word, when listened to, acted upon, and seen as the ultimate decision maker, will change your life, I guarantee it. God’s Word works EVERY time. Letting our emotions run us, and putting them before God’s Word, WON’T. Let me explain what I mean by this principle.
Several years ago I was struggling with some very personal issues, and one was a fear of submission to my husband. Although we got along, I truly desired a pre-conceived idea of romance between he and I. I constantly asked for “signs” of his love or commitment to me, such as gifts, dates, and words of romance. He, being the strong, and slightly stubborn man that he is, didn’t budge. The point is, that whatever he was doing right in our marriage, like providing well for the kids and I, I held in lesser importance to my “need” for unrealistic attention. My dissatisfaction with him grew, and as my emotions became disgust, I didn’t even realize how deeply my mind had transformed. I had gone from a mostly happy wife of almost ten years, to actually despising him, and seeing only the negative about him. As I fed my disappointed emotions with other’s biased opinions, and no time invested in God’s Word, I gave myself license to see the “D” word as an option.
Long story short, we did end up in a very painful divorce, wreaking havoc on ourselves, our health, and our children. I lost my best friend, my lover, my covering, and my future – and for what? For what?
Funny how reality, in all its cruelty, can give us a new take on life. Things got really, really horrible, really, really quickly and I regretted giving up on our marriage. My ex-husband, however, wasn’t necessarily ready to make up and make out. Now I was experiencing some really ugly emotions as I dealt with rejection, betrayal, and tremendous confusion. And for what? Jewelry that I never received on my birthdays? The flowers I never got? Sure, to be fair, there were more issues than that between us. Enough to split up this family? Issues big enough to cause damage to ourselves, our children and their future? I don’t think so, especially looking back from now.
Hindsight really is twenty-twenty, and I am so grateful to a very BIG God, Who saw fit to redeem this marriage, this family, and this anointing that the enemy did not want in action. Since those years ago, my husband and I are remarried, we are excited about our future, and we live a healthy, prosperous life. Jesus gave us then, and gives us now, the power to do so. We both rule over our emotions for the most part – of course we have our “old man” moments! The reality is now, that the man I had once grown to despise, is once again my best friend, my lover and my partner in parenthood and life, through every event, decision and trial. Through the good times, and the bad. My emotions sometimes spill over with affection and love for the same one that I had once allowed myself to hate.
But it takes more than a big God to turn around a failed marriage, or a failed career, or a delayed life due to disease, addiction or unbelief. It takes us deciding! Deciding to take full responsibility for ourselves, and for our own shortcomings. It takes a decision from us to forgive – to forgive others, and to forgive ourselves by the power of the Holy Spirit. It takes a complete renewing of our minds, which can only be done through the power of the Word and owning every truth it reveals! It’s a process, and it’s worth every minute, every tear, and every heartbreak. Most of all, it takes us bringing those rogue emotions and flesh thoughts into captivity. Jesus gives us the power to do that. All you have to do is ask Him.
