Emotions

by Debi Baker


So many people think that it is a sin to have emotions.  Well, I got to thinking about that and have decided that since we are supposed to be like Jesus, then it must not be a sin to have emotions.  The sin would be 'what we do with those emotions.'

Jesus was a man of many emotions.  He felt compassion. Jesus was angry. He was troubled.  He grieved; He wept; He groaned; He rejoiced very greatly and was full of joy; Jesus loved.  These are just some of the emotions that Jesus experienced.  He was fully man and yet fully God.  The 'man' part of Him was all that man is, and that includes emotional.

Even though Jesus experienced emotions, He was fully in control of those emotions.  He didn't let His anger get out of control.  He didn't let His emotions rule Him.  It's okay to be angry.  In fact the Bible tells us to "26 Be angry but do not sin.  Do not let the sun go down on your anger." [Ephesians 4:26 MEV]  Harboring that anger becomes sin.  


We can be full of joy but if we let that joy become a nuisance to others in the face of their despair, then it becomes sin.  We need to be compassionate towards others...feeling what they feel, caring for them and not pushing their feelings aside.

Jesus wept...more than once.  It is OKAY to cry.  It's not okay to let the reasons we cry rule our life.  Of course we will be sad when a loved one dies but we have to move on beyond that.  And I doubt that loved one would want us to 'stop living' just because they have passed on.  Now I'm not being crass...just honest!  Crying because we are saddened at the plight of the world, there isn't anything wrong with that.  In fact, we should let that sadness move us to action.

I think we should always allow our emotions to move us to action.  There is nothing that happens without passion.  Think about this.  One woman, for the most part, single-handedly, got prayer taken out of our schools.  How?  Because she was passionate about it.  That passion moved her to 'do something.'  If we Christians would allow our emotions and passion move us to 'do something', think of what could be accomplished for the Lord!!!!

I challenge you today to let your emotions move you to passion and then let that passion move you into ACTION!  Like the Matthew West song says...DO SOMETHING!!  If you haven't heard the song in a while, I've put a link below.  

Have a blessed day!