The Cross and Emotions
August 21st 2010 14:29
I strongly believe that the cross has principles as its basis. The Christian's walk should follow a distinct standard. Emotions are based on feeling. It is important to hand emotions over to death in order to abide a permanent standard.
Living under emotions, the christians will live by the whim of his vacillating feelings and not according to a definite principle. A christian or anyone who acts from emotion cares neither for principle nor for reason but only for his feeling. Should he be happy or thrilled he may be tempted to undertake what he ordinarily knows is unreasonable. But when he feels cold, melancholy or despondent he will not so much as fulfill his duty, for his feeling fails to go along. If God's children would pay a little attention to their emotion, they would note how changeable it actually can be and how dangerous it therefore is to walk by it. So often their attitude is: if the word of God (spiritual principle) agrees with their feeling, they observe it; if the word does not, they simply reject it. What an enemy emotion can be to spiritual life! All who desire to be spiritual must conduct themselves daily according to principle.
I remembered in 2007 when I got a notice to deny my immigration application due to unforeseen complications. I got sick to my stomach reading the papers. I suddenly threw the paper away across my apartment. I layed down flat in bed and I started to pray. Within minutes, I was envelop by a certain peace and calm which I cannot describe. The nauseatic stomach pain was gone too! I understood that one quality which characterizes a spiritual person is the great calm he maintains under every circumstance.
Whatever may happen around him or however much he may be provoked, he accepts it all calmy and exhibits an unmovable nature. He is one who is able to regulate his every feeling, because his emotion has been yielded to the cross and his will and spirit are permeated with the power of the Holy Spirit. No extreme provocation has the strength to unsettle him. But if one has not accepted the dealing of the cross upon his emotion, then he will be easily influenced, stimulated, disturbed, and even governed by the external world. He will undergo constant change, for emotion shifts often. The slightest threat from outside or the smallest increase in work shall upset him and render him helpless. Whoever genuinely desires to be perfect must let the cross cut deeper into his emotion. Have you learn this principle? Will you allow the cross to do its deadly work on your emotions so that you can truly trust Father?
If the christian would simply bear in mind that God does not lead anyone who is in turmoil, he might be spared many errors. Never decide on anything or start to do anything while emotion is agitating like a roaring sea;
Another example from the same immigration notice. Within a month of receiving the notice. Father told me to get a lawyer. I did. She filed a rebuttal. It worked and my paper was approved. I was so happy and excited. In my happiness I decided to renew contact with my uncle with whom, we werent in good speaking term. After we set up a meeting date, I started having reservations. I prayed and Father told me that I have acted by following my emotions. The Lord told me He will be with me at the meeting with my uncle. I went to the meeting and I found out my uncle brought his friend to take part of the meeting. My uncle refused to renew talk with me. He said that I wanted to renew talk because I was in trouble. And he even questioned me about my immigration status because he knew my divorce with my ex-wife. I couldn't believe what I was hearing from my father's brother! Everything he said was far from the truth. My problems were solved before I contacted him. It was a great learning experience too. I left the meeting without a resolution. To this day, my uncle is surprised about my life in America. The few times he called, he only made jokes!
it is in times of great emotional upheaval that mistakes are readily made. I caused myself so much pain and have made so many mistakes while ignoring this principle. I am glad I have learned from this principle!
A believer should exercise his will to resist and to terminate such fomented feeling; solely when his emotion is no longer boiling but returns to perfect calm can he decide what he should do. I observe this principle seriously. I don't let people push me to act when this calm is not present! Even if I have to witness for Jesus Christ! I do it once this calm or peace is present so that I can be effective and spiritual.
Anytime I refuse to follow this rule, I found myself in deep trouble. The last one was an interest I developed in a friend a year ago. As we all know how seing the opposite sex can stir emotions! Trying to set up date with my friend wasn't peaceful at all. I never felt that way before. I later found out why. She was deeply involved in indian religious ( yoga, ayurdevic, aman,...) beliefs full of weird demonic incantations. I found myself engaging in deep spiritual warfare with this friend because of her trying to use my soul. She even said I was pure and innocent and therefore she tried to gain access to my body through my eyes. Thanks to the Lord who has taught me how to resist the devil on all forms. The resistance became so intense that she had to give up. She met a more powerful force than all lies demons have fed her for so long. I am glad the Holy Spirit has warned me. I could have save much time and energy just by observing the principle of the Holy Spirit by not following my emotions. I still pray for her to know Jesus Christ.
Please, don't reject all that have been said about emotions. I am not advocating suppressing all emotions. Emotions are great under the control of the Holy Spirit. Emotions must go to the cross to be purified by its deadly work. Emotions must be subjected to the Holy Spirit. Will you allow the cross to operate its deadly work on your emotions today?
Living under emotions, the christians will live by the whim of his vacillating feelings and not according to a definite principle. A christian or anyone who acts from emotion cares neither for principle nor for reason but only for his feeling. Should he be happy or thrilled he may be tempted to undertake what he ordinarily knows is unreasonable. But when he feels cold, melancholy or despondent he will not so much as fulfill his duty, for his feeling fails to go along. If God's children would pay a little attention to their emotion, they would note how changeable it actually can be and how dangerous it therefore is to walk by it. So often their attitude is: if the word of God (spiritual principle) agrees with their feeling, they observe it; if the word does not, they simply reject it. What an enemy emotion can be to spiritual life! All who desire to be spiritual must conduct themselves daily according to principle.
I remembered in 2007 when I got a notice to deny my immigration application due to unforeseen complications. I got sick to my stomach reading the papers. I suddenly threw the paper away across my apartment. I layed down flat in bed and I started to pray. Within minutes, I was envelop by a certain peace and calm which I cannot describe. The nauseatic stomach pain was gone too! I understood that one quality which characterizes a spiritual person is the great calm he maintains under every circumstance.
Whatever may happen around him or however much he may be provoked, he accepts it all calmy and exhibits an unmovable nature. He is one who is able to regulate his every feeling, because his emotion has been yielded to the cross and his will and spirit are permeated with the power of the Holy Spirit. No extreme provocation has the strength to unsettle him. But if one has not accepted the dealing of the cross upon his emotion, then he will be easily influenced, stimulated, disturbed, and even governed by the external world. He will undergo constant change, for emotion shifts often. The slightest threat from outside or the smallest increase in work shall upset him and render him helpless. Whoever genuinely desires to be perfect must let the cross cut deeper into his emotion. Have you learn this principle? Will you allow the cross to do its deadly work on your emotions so that you can truly trust Father?
If the christian would simply bear in mind that God does not lead anyone who is in turmoil, he might be spared many errors. Never decide on anything or start to do anything while emotion is agitating like a roaring sea;
Another example from the same immigration notice. Within a month of receiving the notice. Father told me to get a lawyer. I did. She filed a rebuttal. It worked and my paper was approved. I was so happy and excited. In my happiness I decided to renew contact with my uncle with whom, we werent in good speaking term. After we set up a meeting date, I started having reservations. I prayed and Father told me that I have acted by following my emotions. The Lord told me He will be with me at the meeting with my uncle. I went to the meeting and I found out my uncle brought his friend to take part of the meeting. My uncle refused to renew talk with me. He said that I wanted to renew talk because I was in trouble. And he even questioned me about my immigration status because he knew my divorce with my ex-wife. I couldn't believe what I was hearing from my father's brother! Everything he said was far from the truth. My problems were solved before I contacted him. It was a great learning experience too. I left the meeting without a resolution. To this day, my uncle is surprised about my life in America. The few times he called, he only made jokes!
it is in times of great emotional upheaval that mistakes are readily made. I caused myself so much pain and have made so many mistakes while ignoring this principle. I am glad I have learned from this principle!
A believer should exercise his will to resist and to terminate such fomented feeling; solely when his emotion is no longer boiling but returns to perfect calm can he decide what he should do. I observe this principle seriously. I don't let people push me to act when this calm is not present! Even if I have to witness for Jesus Christ! I do it once this calm or peace is present so that I can be effective and spiritual.
Anytime I refuse to follow this rule, I found myself in deep trouble. The last one was an interest I developed in a friend a year ago. As we all know how seing the opposite sex can stir emotions! Trying to set up date with my friend wasn't peaceful at all. I never felt that way before. I later found out why. She was deeply involved in indian religious ( yoga, ayurdevic, aman,...) beliefs full of weird demonic incantations. I found myself engaging in deep spiritual warfare with this friend because of her trying to use my soul. She even said I was pure and innocent and therefore she tried to gain access to my body through my eyes. Thanks to the Lord who has taught me how to resist the devil on all forms. The resistance became so intense that she had to give up. She met a more powerful force than all lies demons have fed her for so long. I am glad the Holy Spirit has warned me. I could have save much time and energy just by observing the principle of the Holy Spirit by not following my emotions. I still pray for her to know Jesus Christ.
Please, don't reject all that have been said about emotions. I am not advocating suppressing all emotions. Emotions are great under the control of the Holy Spirit. Emotions must go to the cross to be purified by its deadly work. Emotions must be subjected to the Holy Spirit. Will you allow the cross to operate its deadly work on your emotions today?
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