Suppose you spend a lot of time watching social media these days. In that case, you will encounter a practice and value system that is leading many to choose paths that promise to make their lives and the lives of those they love more difficult. It’s not hard to understand, but if you’ve grown accustomed to it, it is tough to change. What am I talking about – it is allowing your emotions to determine the course of your life! Let me explain, by telling you a true story from my own life:
I grew up in a small midwestern town, where it seemed like everyone worked on their own cars; changing tires and sparkplugs, oil and air filters, and the like. We would work on our cars over the weekend, and then talk about our experiences all week at school; it was always fun! One week a good friend of mine, who drove a very nice, white, Ford Thunderbird, came in and told us a story that brought down the house with laugher. He had been working on his car, and was replacing some of the old, rusted suspension parts on the front of his car, and there was a large nut that was stuck on a piece of his frontend. This large nut resisted all his efforts to come loose. He banged on it, first with a hammer, and then a sledge hammer; when that didn’t work, he got his dad to light up a torch with a very hot flame, and heated the bolt to loosen it; nothing happened! This went on for a couple of hours, and my friend was getting increasingly frustrated with every minute. He continued to pound and heat and twist the stubborn piece of metal, until finally, it came loose. Except for the fact that it did not come loose – he broke the bolt, which wasn’t a bolt at all – it was a piece of a larger part of the car, and it could not be repaired. What this meant is that the simple and inexpensive repair he had begun, had suddenly turned into a very expensive nightmare. It was going to take another day, and a fairly large sum of money, to get his car drivable; He was furious! This is where the lesson on our emotions comes in. My good friend, who was intelligent and normally ‘under control,’ lost control of his emotions; in a rage, he picked up the large hammer laying next to the car, and beat the front fender of the car into a shredded, crumpled mess! So not only did he still have to fix the suspension, now he had to purchase a new fender, and paint it and put it on the car, before the car would be ready to drive. It was another week before he could drive that prized Thunderbird!
This is just an example of what can happen when we let our emotions get out of control. The details of any situation make no difference. When we allow our frustrations and anger to dictate our actions, we will exacerbate the problem. Christian or not, this truth applies to everyone, regardless of their social status.
At one point, the Apostle Paul wrote about the way our emotions can affect our lives and actions, and provided us with a couple of truths that, when applied, can guide our actions and transform our lives for the better. In Philippians 4, Paul wrote, “Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say, rejoice! Let your forbearing spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:4-8 What Paul was saying is that one’s faith in Jesus is more than just concern for salvation; it is also an understanding that, in Christ, one’s way of thinking about life and experiences, and our feelings about those experiences, can be a function of our faith, too!
In our modern culture, there is much talk about one’s emotions and one's mental health. Here is what Paul might add to the discussion:
First, if we can develop a “forbearing spirit,” we can face life’s challenges with patience and self-restraint. We will accept the idea that not everything is a crisis, and we should learn to think through a situation before we act. V.5
Second, if we learn to think through the sources of our anxiety, God can help us calm ourselves and take these things to God in prayer. He can also enable us to see past our current distress. V.6
Finally, when we learn to look for the good in situations and focus our thoughts and energies on those elements of life, God is allowed to work. Additionally, He may help us see that, even in a crisis, there are blessings to be experienced, and that He may be at work in ways we do not expect. Vs 4, 8
God can help you in your daily life! When we learn to trust Him to work in our daily lives, He can help us clear our minds, calm our spirits, and approach the challenges we face with faith and hope. Trust Him!
Let me encourage you to place a high value on the important relationships in your life. Love more freely; forgive often; and, as much as is within you, act in a way that shows these people that you value your relationship with them. Finally, nurture these important relationships over the long term, so that at some point you might be able to lead them to a saving faith in Jesus.
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