YOU’RE NOT THE BOSS OF ME!
I recently finished reading The Screwtape Letters again. It renewed my awareness of something we have discussed in our lessons before – runaway emotions. While I don’t purposely repeat lessons (how could I do this on my own, anyway?) I felt led to review some of our earlier lessons. Perhaps the reason I was led to this was because we seem to have missed the specific instructions about HOW to win out over dominating emotions.
Review
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emotions are primarily a response to our perceptions and may not even be based on facts
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they can lead to destructive behavior
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they can block you from hearing God speak to you
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they can become habitual/addictive
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they can harm the body by preventing healthful activity (sleep, eating)
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like ripples on a pond, they affect others around you
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they keep you tied into the things of the world, limiting your vision and destroying faith
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they give you a false sense of power
But it isn’t the emotions at fault here, it is the way we evaluate and respond to them that matters. God created us to be sensitive and responsive, and we are supposed to use that ability in our worship and in carrying out our spiritual assignment.
Too often we see ourselves in terms of our strongest emotions (habitual). Therefore, you may see yourself as an angry person, or a champion worrier, or even as a bit of a martyr (if you major on self-pity). This is one reason that it becomes so difficult to subdue an emotional response, because we identify with it. If I give up the emotion, what is left? Who am I? But that is one of the best reasons for working at it – to find out who you are in Christ!
There is a distinct difference between being aware of danger, or even potential danger, and living in a constant state of hyper-vigilance. With fear and suspicion running your life, you “see” everything in terms of its potential to bring you harm. It robs you of all hope and blinds you to the blessings that God wants to provide.
Emotions start through your physical senses and your thought processes concerning things around you in the physical world.
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you hear what people say and figure out what they meant
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you see what happened and try to figure out what caused it (and what will be next)
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you get hurt (bruised, cut, burned, sick) and try to figure out how to avoid it
So, if we don’t want to get rid of emotions altogether, then it would seem that the best place to start getting control is in the matter of how we process the information from our senses.
II Cor 10:5 …Inasmuch as we refute arguments and theories and reasonings and every proud and lofty thing that sets itself up against the true knowledge of God; and we lead every thought and purpose away captive into the obedience of Christ, the Messiah, the Anointed One.
Col 3:15 And let the peace (soul harmony which comes) from Christ rule in your hearts – deciding and settling with finality all questions that arise in your minds – [in that peaceful state] to which [as members of Christ’s] one body you were also called [to live]. And be thankful – appreciative, giving praise to God always.
WARNING – paradigm shift!
If you say that you cannot change the way you feel, you probably will say that you cannot control what you think, either. Yet, the scripture is quite specific here, and God is giving us the instructions for making the change.
Phil 2:2-15
But here’s the catch – you have to be willing to change! If you are tired of the tears, the frustration, the anger, and outrage….then let God help you. Don’t think that you have to work up some superhuman willpower to manufacture a new set of feelings. No– you can’t do it yourself, anyway. But you have to let God in, to submit to His work in your heart, to surrender this way of thinking and feeling.
You may have seen this example before, but it is so-o good, that I’m going to use it anyway. It is the sign of the cross. The top represents God. We have to get our priorities right in order to get our feelings in line. God HAS to be number one –
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we trust Him for everything we need
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we look to Him as our defender
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we seek His will for our lives and the lives of our loved ones
Now, just like we don’t have to manufacture the good feelings for ourselves, neither do we have to grit our teeth, paste on a fake smile, and agree to put up with lack and pain and mistreatment and misery and convince ourselves that it is our religious duty. NO! God is a good Father, and He will take care of the things we turn over to Him.
Somehow we have this idea that the force of our emotional involvement is power. We have the power to keep our loved ones safe if we just keep worrying about them. We can somehow punish the one who hurt us by just holding all that resentment and hatred for them. But if we let the feelings go, it means we don’t care!
The truth is, God is just waiting for us to let go of it and turn it over to Him. He is so much more powerful that we are, and He knows what is best for everyone. Why shouldn’t we trust Him to take care of it?
Now, the sign of the cross –
With God at the top, then the arms reaching out, stand for the way we treat others. We cannot hope to have the right attitude about others until we have put God above all else. As long as we reserve the right to place others in the position of being the provider for us – making us happy, taking care of us, meeting our needs – then God isn’t really at the top, is He? And when we take on the responsibility for others – as critic and judge, as dictator or director, as protector and defender or executioner… we haven’t put God at the top.
So where does that leave room for us? – at the foot of the cross! Only there do we see the mighty hand of God working in power and love to take care of all the things that are so emotionally charged for us! His yoke is easy and His burden is light – we cast all the emotional care on Him. That leaves us free to praise and worship Him with ALL our heart.
Closing thoughts –
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remember that God loved each of us while we were yet sinners, and so He loves and wants to save each of the people that have hurt you
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don’t expect people to behave like Christians when they don’t know God, they are still under the dominion of the enemy
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consider the testimony you will have when others see you walking in peace no matter what circumstances you may face
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catch yourself in that moment of grace between the event and the thoughts you have about it
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ask God to give you wisdom and understanding concerning the situation
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let LOVE (God is love) be the deciding factor in all things
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speak blessing – what you decree for others (or the demands you place on them) may be turned back on you – so speak LOVE