Struggling with Emotions

Lately my emotions have been all over the place, happy, sad, mad...you name it. Mostly I write it off as hormonal due to the fact that I am pre-menopausal but sometimes I still let them get the better of me. Even if our emotions are brought on by hormones they still feel real, and fighting our emotions is one tough battle. Do you ever find yourself creating a situation in your head that hasn't actually happened and you begin to feel the emotions tied to it? For example, you imagine a conversation that you might have with someone if they say something and then because of that imagination you start to feel angry or sad or whatever? Does anyone else do that or is it just me? So what do we do when we seem to have a continual struggle with our emotions? The wisest thing we can do is to get alone with God and pray. Ask for His help and His guidance.

I've noticed that frequently, when I've had any type of issue the Lord has been pointing me to the same scripture:

Proverbs 3:5-6

⁵ Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
⁶ in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight

 

and yes, it sounds easy....just trust Him...just trust Him...but sometimes I get carried away in my own mind and that's when the problems begin. Well, this last time instead of just reading these two verses and saying, yes Lord, I know, trust you....I continued on, and guess what I found:

 

⁷ Do not be wise in your own eyes;
fear the Lord and shun evil.
⁸ This will bring health to your body
and nourishment to your bones.

⁹ Honor the Lord with your wealth,
with the firstfruits of all your crops;
¹⁰ then your barns will be filled to overflowing,
and your vats will brim over with new wine.

¹¹ My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline,
and do not resent his rebuke,
¹² because the Lord disciplines those he loves,
as a father the son he delights in.

¹³ Blessed are those who find wisdom,
those who gain understanding,¹⁴ for she is more profitable than silver
and yields better returns than gold.
¹⁵ She is more precious than rubies;
nothing you desire can compare with her.
¹⁶ Long life is in her right hand;
in her left hand are riches and honor.
¹⁷ Her ways are pleasant ways,
and all her paths are peace.
¹⁸ She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her;
those who hold her fast will be blessed.

¹⁹ By wisdom the Lord laid the earth’s foundations,
by understanding he set the heavens in place;
²⁰ by his knowledge the watery depths were divided,
and the clouds let drop the dew.

²¹ My son, do not let wisdom and understanding out of your sight,
preserve sound judgment and discretion;
²² they will be life for you, an ornament to grace your neck.
²³ Then you will go on your way in safety,
and your foot will not stumble.
²⁴ When you lie down, you will not be afraid;
when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.
²⁵ Have no fear of sudden disaster
or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked,
²⁶ for the Lord will be at your side and will keep your foot from being snared.

²⁷ Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due,
when it is in your power to act.
²⁸ Do not say to your neighbor,
“Come back tomorrow and I’ll give it to you”—
when you already have it with you.
²⁹ Do not plot harm against your neighbor,
who lives trustfully near you.
³⁰ Do not accuse anyone for no reason—
when they have done you no harm.

³¹ Do not envy the violent
or choose any of their ways.

³² For the Lord detests the perverse
but takes the upright into his confidence.
³³ The Lord’s curse is on the house of the wicked,
but he blesses the home of the righteous.
³⁴ He mocks proud mockers
but shows favor to the humble and oppressed.
³⁵ The wise inherit honor,
but fools get only shame.

 

 

I know, I know...a lot of reading...I hope you read it all...or at least the portions I put in bold, because those are the verses that really stuck it to me. This didn't say, don't cry, don't be sad, don't be mad, whatever...it says Trust Him, don't be wise in your own eyes, gain wisdom, etc. And some of these specific verses spoke to me of what I have not been doing and need to pay attention to.

 

So, how do we gain wisdom? By going to Him. You see, I don't think He's ever going to give me some "trick" way to just turn off the emotions. They are there for a reason. He put them there. The "trick" is use your emotions wisely, don't trust your own judgement, ask what He would do. Don't assume you know what He would do, go to the Bible and find out for sure.

 

I sincerely hope and pray that this has somehow helped someone today, other than myself. Life is not easy. Every day is a new adventure and a new challenge. Some are wonderful and funfilled and some are downright sad and hard, but each day, each moment, is an opportunity to learn from Him and grow in Him. I pray you take this journey with me.