Mastering Your Emotions
"Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth." – Colossians 3:2
Have you ever felt overwhelmed by your emotions, like they have a mind of their own? One moment, everything is fine, and the next, something happens that triggers a wave of anger, sadness, or anxiety. It is easy to think that emotions just happen to you, but that is not true. Your emotions are shaped by your thoughts, and your thoughts are shaped by what you take in.
Everything you see, hear, taste, touch, and smell triggers a thought. That thought creates an emotion, and that emotion generates a feeling. Over time, those feelings begin to shape your mood and even your behavior. If you want to change the way you respond to life, you do not start by trying to fix your behavior. You have to start by addressing what you believe.
What you believe about God, yourself, and the people in your life shapes how you interpret everything that happens to you. Two people can experience the exact same situation and have completely different emotional responses because of how they think about it. Circumstances do not determine your emotions. Your thoughts about those circumstances do.
If your mind is set on what is wrong, unfair, or frustrating, your emotions will follow that path. If you let your thoughts dwell on fear, anger, or shame, your emotions will reinforce those feelings. But if your mind is set on the truth of God’s Word, your emotions will shift. You will start to feel peace in the middle of chaos, joy in the middle of struggle, and confidence even when things feel uncertain.
You cannot always control what happens to you, but you can control what you dwell on. Instead of letting your emotions control your life, start training your mind to think differently. Let God’s truth be the filter that shapes your emotions instead of your circumstances. When you do that, your feelings will no longer dictate your decisions. Your faith will.
Have you ever felt overwhelmed by your emotions, like they have a mind of their own? One moment, everything is fine, and the next, something happens that triggers a wave of anger, sadness, or anxiety. It is easy to think that emotions just happen to you, but that is not true. Your emotions are shaped by your thoughts, and your thoughts are shaped by what you take in.
Everything you see, hear, taste, touch, and smell triggers a thought. That thought creates an emotion, and that emotion generates a feeling. Over time, those feelings begin to shape your mood and even your behavior. If you want to change the way you respond to life, you do not start by trying to fix your behavior. You have to start by addressing what you believe.
What you believe about God, yourself, and the people in your life shapes how you interpret everything that happens to you. Two people can experience the exact same situation and have completely different emotional responses because of how they think about it. Circumstances do not determine your emotions. Your thoughts about those circumstances do.
If your mind is set on what is wrong, unfair, or frustrating, your emotions will follow that path. If you let your thoughts dwell on fear, anger, or shame, your emotions will reinforce those feelings. But if your mind is set on the truth of God’s Word, your emotions will shift. You will start to feel peace in the middle of chaos, joy in the middle of struggle, and confidence even when things feel uncertain.
You cannot always control what happens to you, but you can control what you dwell on. Instead of letting your emotions control your life, start training your mind to think differently. Let God’s truth be the filter that shapes your emotions instead of your circumstances. When you do that, your feelings will no longer dictate your decisions. Your faith will.
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1 Comment
Very well put Pastor Ed. There’s a lot I’m sure I still need to apply but atleast I can honestly say I started. There was one phrase that set off a chain reaction for me and it made such a big difference I try to share it whenever I have an opportunity. “Is that 100% true?” It has given me the opportunity to challenge my beliefs which like you have explained so well rolls into my thinking, my feelings, emotions, and in turn my quality of life. I no longer have to buy into the lies that kept me trapped for so long.
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n“casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,”
nII Corinthians 10:5
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