Emotions

emotions - How can I best handle my emotions?

Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.

Proverbs 4:23

The Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

Galatians 5:22-23

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:6-7

EMOTIONS are a good gift from God. They are evidence we are made in God’s image, for the Bible shows God experiencing a whole range of emotions. Sometimes our emotions of empathy can lead us to respond to someone with compassion, and anger can motivate us to right an injustice. But like any gift from God, emotions can be misused. The issue isn’t the power or intensity of the feeling but what it leads us to do. The best way to handle your emotions is to ask God to help you understand them. The moment you find yourself beginning to spiral out of control, take a deep breath and create space to pray. Ask God to help you notice what people or situations trigger you to lose control. Then discern with him whether your emotions lead you to actions that are productive or destructive. When you come to God, he promises to replace your negative thoughts and attitudes with patience, peace, and self-control.

Prayer Prompts

Lord, this person or situation makes it hard for me to control my emotions: . . .

When I lose control of my feelings, your Word tells me it is wise to . . .