EEEEEEE-motions

From the Greene Street Letter Archive 

Posted August 7, 2012

Have you ever thought about "emotions?"
The range that they cover....
The very fact that we possess them.
That they can come up and change in the twinkling of an eye. They can lift us to the heights of joy and in the next moment, cause to come crashing down into a pit of despair.

I had taken my grand daughter to the movies on Sunday and we were seated, talking before the movie started. She leaned over and placed her head on my arm and whispered..."I love you Poppa!"
Four little words....
Yet when she said them, it brought about a definite emotion within me.
Looking down into those eyes...that face....I spoke back to her....."And I love you too Doodle-bop."
Here was a young girl, 55 years younger than me.
We really have nothing in common except our names, yet God has allowed this emotional bond to take place between us.
He didn't have to create emotions, but he did.
He didn't have to label them with such names as Joy....Grief....Sadness...but he did.
And there in that theater, the emotion between the two of us was strengthened and made more sure..

Emotions weren't created to define us or drive us.
They were given to color and help us identify what is going on inside.
I think the devil hates God so much...and hates his creation, that he works overtime to keep our emotions off balance and out of whack.
How many times a day do you say or think..."I Feel  (insert emotion)" ?
We tend to use that emotion to be the fuel to make decisions.
Emotions are not a very good gauge on which to base our decisions.
I think God has called us to live by faith.
Faith stretches us to heaven. Emotions keep us grounded in the flesh.
Can God use our emotions?
Sure he can.
They can be brought forth to bring glory to God.
My favorite story is found in Acts 3, where Peter and John, on the way to the Temple, have an encounter with a cripple man.
Through the encounter, the man is healed.
Look what happens next.
And with a leap, he stood upright and began to walk; and he entered the temple with them walking and leaping and praising God.

This man was not bound by rule or custom. He had been healed and now he was experiencing the emotions associated with the healing. There was joy! There was an outburst of praise. I can't prove it, but I think maybe there was a lot of noise as he shouted and "Woo-hooed" all over the place. Emotions ran high and furious as this man watched his feet and legs go back and forth, moving him all around the temple. If ever there was a reason to be emotional....this man had found it. He was allowing his emotions to direct his praise and adoration toward God who had brought healing to him. The man didn't care who was listening or who was present. He wasn't concerned with what others were thinking, he was free...he was healed.

Today, as you move through your routine, be very much aware of your emotions.
Don't let the enemy come and use them against you and keep you from seeing what God is doing in you and around you.
Let your faith over rule your emotions.
Don't deny what you feel....just don't let it rule your day.

God on you....
mb