Taming Emotional Beasts

Genesis 1:26 states that at the time of creation God declared he would make man in his image. Does that mean that emotions are part of his devine design? Throughout scripture, we are given examples of emotions and emotional responses and their consequences. I want to use the next few blogs to discuss some of those and to explain how I use scripture to tame my emotional beasts.

First of all, let's review some of the emotions we have seen in previous posts. Depression pushes one into the Dark where fear, loneliness, anxiety, frustration and even anger may be experienced.

Divide a piece of paper into four sections. In each section on the front, write one of the five emotions listed above you deal with the most and place the one you deal with the least on the back. Prayerfully review your Bible stories and list the characters who exhibited fear, loneliness, anxiety, frustration or anger to a situation. Taking the time to do this, will put your mind in a place that allows it to ponder the Creator's divine design.

God created us to be emotional beings just as he is emotional. He wants us to have holy responses to our emotions, not sinful ones. As we live in the flesh, we are to be constantly presenting ourselves to him for filling. A vessel must be empty in order to be filled. One of the ways God uses depression, is to reveal just how selfish and self centered we are and just how gloriously selfless he is. Surrendering to him and his power daily is the first step to taming emotional beasts.

Practice that today with a prayer of thanksgiving. Praise him for salvation and what it means. Ask him to condition you for a complete surrender to him. He will help you tame the emotional beasts in your life.