Emotions vs Principals

Why do we have emotions?

• We have emotions because we are created in the image and likeness of God.

What is the purpose of emotions?

• Emotions and feelings are what make us individuals. It would seem that before sin the

  expression of these emotions and feelings would have been a venue for humanity to understand the diversity and spectrum of God’s great emotions.

  
  

• While this is still true in a very limited sense, i.e. our emotions are a venue for understanding and relating to God; it is now more difficult to realize this. We are broken and twisted due to the sin factor, which adversely affects our emotions and feelings. The expression of our emotions and feeling do not always truly represent God accurately. Since this is now the case for all of humanity, what then is the purpose of emotions and feelings?

  
  

• God created us to think, understand, operate and process life in a very specific manner. This manner would always be in the context of righteousness. While we may not always know what the right thing to do is, we do have our feelings which are innate in us that can help guide us in this area.

  
  

• When we violate God’s original purpose in how to live, we will normally experience negative feelings and when we are living in the manner in which God designed us, we will experience positive feelings. While this may not work 100% of the time it will work correctly more often than not.

  
  

• The reason as to why we know innately know what is right and wrong is because the manner in which God created us.

  • Romans 2:14-15 {14} (Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law, 15 since they show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts now accusing, now even defending them.) NIV

  • We have written in and on our heart the laws of God.

  • We have a conscience, which has been programmed to operate in accordance to God’s laws.

What does all of this mean for me?

• Whenever we find ourselves dealing with what we consider negative emotions and feelings, we need to stop and take the time to evaluate how we are living and the decisions we are making. When we have these negative feelings and emotions our first tendency is to try and cover them, stuff them or suppress them. Medical studies show that trying to cover, stuff or suppress our feelings and emotions creates personal emotional, mental and physical problems.

  
  

• It is important to listen to our emotions and feeling (not the same thing as living by one’s emotions and feelings) and discover what they are trying to tell us. Yes, it can take a considerable amount of effort to uncover what is happening and why.

  
  

• So, rather than cover, stuff and suppress our emotions and feelings through addictive behaviors or just shutting down self, we need to stop and listen carefully to what our emotions and feelings are trying to tell us. They are trying to tell us that our behavior and attitudes are not in alignment with how God originally created us.

  
  

• What are some common emotions and feelings that we have that we normally consider negative that we endeavor to cover or suppress? These emotions and feelings are there for a reason. Trying to short-circuit the process only leads to more emotional, mental and physical problems.

Guilt	Shame	Sadness	Discouragement	Depression
Anxiety	Anger	Stress	Grief	Heartbroken
Mourning	Bleakness	Gloom	Dullness	Resentment

Ultimately we need to view emotions as INVITATIONS from the Holy Spirit to evaluate our relationship to Him.

This initiates the process of relating to Him based on how we are feeling (good or bad), and moves us to the point of decision.