Not Everything I Feel Is Right

In review of Romans 8:6, 8 it says, “To be controlled by human nature results in death; to be controlled by the Spirit results in life and peace . . . Those who obey their human nature cannot please God” (GNT).

Today’s verse is from Romans 8:5-8. It says that those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. So letting my sinful nature control my mind will lead to death. But letting the Spirit control my mind leads to life and peace. A sinful nature is always hostile to God. It never did obey God's laws, and it never will. That's why those who are still under the control of their sinful nature can never please God.

I'm reminded today that once I have said yes to Jesus, I'll want to continue following him, for his way brings life and peace. Daily I must consciously choose to center my life on God. I can use God's Word to discover God's guidelines, and then follow them. In a perplexing situation, I can ask, "What would Jesus want me to do?" When the Holy Spirit points out what is right, I need to do it eagerly.

Thus, learning to manage my emotions is the key to peace of mind.

Today I have been reminded of four important reasons from God’s Word on why I need to learn to deal with what I feel.

I need to learn to manage my emotions because they are often unreliable. My gut is often wrong. My intuition is often flawed. My emotions often lead me down a blind alley. I can’t depend on everything I feel! Proverbs 14:12 says, “There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death” (NIV). I don’t have to accept everything I feel, because not everything I feel is right or authentic or will lead me in the right direction.

I need to learn to manage my emotions because I shouldn’t want to be manipulated. If I don’t control my emotions, they will control me, and I will be manipulated by my moods. And if I’m always guided by my feelings, others are going to take advantage of me. Worst of all, negative emotions are Satan’s favorite tool. He will use fear, resentment, and worry to wreak havoc in my life. The Bible says in 1 Peter 5:8, “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” (NIV).

I need to learn to manage my emotions because I want to please God. God cannot rule my life if emotions rule it. If I make my decisions based on how I feel, then I’ve made my feelings god, and then God can’t be God in my life. Romans 8:6, 8 says, “To be controlled by human nature results in death; to be controlled by the Spirit results in life and peace . . . Those who obey their human nature cannot please God” (GNT).

Lastly, I need to learn to manage my emotions because I want to succeed in life. Study after study has shown that my emotional quotient is far more important than my IQ when it comes to success. How many people have ruined their reputation because of something said in anger. Or missed a job opportunity because of a lack of self-control. The Bible says in Proverbs 5:23, “[People] get lost and die because of their foolishness and lack of self-control” (CEV).

When I choose to follow Jesus, that decision includes my emotions. So when I say, “I give my heart to Jesus,” I’ve given my emotions to him as well so that he could manage them. Jesus wants to be Lord of how I feel, not just what I think and do. He wants to be Lord of my emotions. “From now on, then, you must live the rest of your earthly lives controlled by God’s will and not by human desires” (1 Peter 4:2 GNT).

Bottom Line:

Now the mind-set of the sinful nature is death, but the mind-set of the Spirit is life and peace. Those who are in the sinful nature cannot please God.

What this means to me:

So letting my sinful nature control me will only lead to death. But letting the Spirit control my mind will lead to life and peace. This is why those who don't follow Christ are still under the control of their sinful nature can never please God.

In summary, if I allow my sinful nature to take over, I will be dominated by it. Rather, I should let myself be controlled by the Holy Spirit. It's impossible to please God if my sinful nature is controlling me. So daily I must consciously choose to center my life on God and use God's Word to discover his guidelines to follow. Learning to manage my emotions is the key to peace of mind. I need to learn to deal with my emotions because they are: often unreliable, because I shouldn't want to be manipulated by them, I want to please God, and to succeed in life.

Thank you for your reminder this morning on my emotions and feelings. I pray this morning that with the help of the Holy Spirit that you help me control them. I also pray for your wisdom and guideance in how I handle my job, lead my team and interact with others. These things I pray in your Son Jesus name, amen!