You are susceptible to emotional manipulation from all directions: from people
you hate, from people you like, and from forces far beyond your control.
If you fail to master your emotions, you are not really running your own life.
Proverbs 25:28 sums it up: “He that hath no rule over his own spirit
is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.”
Emotion is not a weakness or a flaw in human beings. It is a characteristic
created by God: It is part of what makes us human! Emotion can be one
of the most enjoyable blessings we possess. Without it, our lives would be
bland, flat, colorless—hardly worth living.
God gave us the power of feelings so we can experience joy and love;
deep relationships; and even anger, jealousy, fear and sadness.
The Creator of human beings is Himself emotional. God experiences love;
He is love (John 3:16; 1 John 4:8, 16). He experiences joy (Matthew 25:21, 23;
Galatians 5:22), hatred (Psalm 11:5; 45:7), anger (Judges 10:7; Psalm 7:11),
indignation (Isaiah 34:2), jealousy (Exodus 20:5; 34:14), concern (Deuteronomy 5:29),
grief (Genesis 6:6; Psalm 78:40), sorrow (Isaiah 53:3) and compassion (Matthew 9:35-36).
God created the human race in His likeness (Genesis 1:26) for the purpose
of growing to become like Him (Matthew 5:48).
Emotion is not an opposite and a counter to reason. These two motivational tools
perfectly complement and enhance each other when you master your emotions.
How skilled are you at handling this critical part of life? Are you easily
offended? Are you prone to emotional outbursts over small issues?
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“[R]esist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him
the other also. And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat,
let him have thy cloke also. …
Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate
thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you,
do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you,
and persecute you” (Matthew 5:39-40, 43-44).
Jesus Christ was mocked, ridiculed, beaten, tortured and crucified—yet His response
was to pray, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34).
This is the absolute opposite of the hypersensitive, exacting, vindictive attitude this
world is deliberately cultivating and which is ripping society apart!
Master Your Emotions
Proverbs 14:29 gives this rock-solid advice: “He that is slow to wrath is of great
understanding: but he that is hasty of spirit [or quick-tempered] exalteth folly.”
Mastering your emotions is not just about being slow to wrath, however. It is also about
cultivating and using emotion. Philippians 4:8 is a powerful summary of how to do that:
“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest,
whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are
lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there
be any praise, think on these things.”
In stark contrast to self-love, God’s love “is never glad when others go wrong,
love is gladdened by goodness, always slow to expose, always eager to believe
the best, always hopeful, always patient” (1 Corinthians 13:6-7; Moffatt).
This is how we need to respond to slights, offenses, problems and conflicts.
This is the emotional mastery we should work to develop, and not add to the problems today.