Do YOU need help on understanding your EMOTIONS/FEELINGS and how to handle THEM correctly?

Sometimes in life we can let our emotions get the best of us and we can’t handle them correctly. God has given us the ability to feel emotions; it is what makes us feel alive. God doesn’t want us to remain slaves to our emotions. 

Bitterness, anger, fear, anxiety and guilt rob us of the peace God intended for us to have. They can destroy ourselves, friendships and marriages. Unresolved emotions can even destroy our health. However, we must not allow our emotions to control US, we have to control them don't be ruined by them! Destructive emotions are to be replaced by the fruit of God’s Spirit--love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness and self-control--Galatians 5:22,23. Chris promised us his peace - John 14:27. Our destructive emotions are not from God - 2 Timothy 1:7. There are principles from scripture and wisdom from God that will help us rule our emotions.

We must submit our emotions to the Lordship of Christ and let the truth God’s word be our guide. When we act out based on our emotional state that is not always a good thing at times because we tend to make bad decisions from them instead, of acting out on the facts, we let them pile up and then it can cause trouble later. Focus on the fact of the matter instead of how you “feel” emotionally at that time, YOU have to step back and think. Remember YOU choose how you react!

I want YOU to have a clear understanding on the definition of the words Emotion and Feeling before we move forward:

Emotion:

1. an affective state of consciousness in which joy, sorrow, fear, hate, or the like, is experienced, as distinguished from cognitive and volitional states of consciousness.

2. any of the feelings of joy, sorrow, fear, hate, love, etc.

3. any strong agitation of the feelings actuated by experiencing love, hate, fear, etc., and usually accompanied by certain physiological changes, as increased heartbeat or respiration, and often overt manifestation, as crying or shaking. 

 Feeling:

1. the function or the power of perceiving by touch. 

2. physical sensation not connected with sight, hearing, taste, or smell.  

3. a particular sensation of this kind: a feeling of warmth; a feeling of pain. 

4. an emotion or emotional perception or attitude: a feeling of joy; a feeling of sorrow.

 

 

Now since you understand the definition of emotion and feeling let me share 3 facts that I believe about them. There are three dangers when we build our lives on our feelings. 

First feelings can be distorted. The enemy likes to manipulate our circumstances and our senses In an attempt to throw us off balance.

Second feelings can be imported. Sometimes we have a way of feeling what has been forced on us rather what is truly within us. 

And third feelings can be aborted; they can change in a moment. The danger of building our lives on our feelings is that we may not feel the same way about a situation tomorrow as we feel today. Feelings come and feelings go, so therefore we have to be mindful about them. www.transformationdaily.com

What do I do with these feelings and how do I control them? You want to express or release your emotions/feelings. But how do I know what I'm feeling at that moment? It is very important that you identify and acknowledge these emotions/feelings. This is called self awareness/self control. If you don't know how you feel or how to get in touch with your feelings here is what YOU can do.

Identify how you feel:  

Sit quietly for a moment; you might want to close your eyes, and then wait and see what you notice from inside. Notice whether any thoughts, images, feelings, memories, sounds come to you. Ask yourself how you're feeling, and be aware of what comes up you don’t have to figure anything out, you just want to be aware of them.

Acknowledge your feelings:

If you know how you feel, let yourself know that this is how you are feeling right now, and that’s okay, that is normal as a human being. You don’t have to do anything with them, just accept that this is how you feel at that present moment.

Did you know that God can bring your emotions under Christ’s control?

Quiet your soul. This is not always easy, but scripture says we can learn to do it with God’s help - Psalm 131:2; Ephesians 4:26,27; 2 Timothy 1:7 If destructive feelings keep breaking out from long habit, keep dealing with them until slowly new habits develop. 

Hand over emotional burdens to God - 1 Peter 5:7; Philippians 4:6,7. This is a life-changing art. Emotional thoughts such as guilt, fear, lust and resentment like to go around and around in our minds. That is how they grow strong enough to control us. 

Now here is how YOU can help yourself handle them, this will take time if you practice it. I have created 9 practical action steps for you below, it is in my hopes that this will help you.

1. Make a covenant with God that each time the thought returns, you will instantly give it back without spending time in struggle or guilt. Pray about the; ask God to take control of your mind, spirit, body and soul and to comfort you, it shall be done In Jesus name! Spend time reading God’s Word every day and meditate on what you have read, and ask the Holy Spirit how this Truth can form your thinking and direct your emotions throughout each day.

2. Yell them out loud; you can actually go to the bathroom look in the mirror and scream them out, let yourself be heard from you. 

3. Exercise, go the the gym if you are able and release the feelings there or exercise at home. Exercising helps relieve toxics and stress from your body as well.

4. Cry If you feel like crying, give yourself permission to do this, let the tears flow.

5. Tell someone who is supportive of you how you are feeling, let them know to just listen as you talk, sometimes that's all you need is someone to just listen.

6. Write them down in a journal. You will be amazed how much you can express yourself by writing them down. You can always go back to read how you felt at the moment, so always keep a date and time of when you write them down.

7. Go out and do something, spend time alone is need be.Do something physical, take a walk, ride a bike, dance.. go to the park and watch the sunrise or sunset.

8. Listen to some comforting music, preferably soft music such as gospel, classical, instrumental or jazz.

9. Comfort and reassure yourself; take a hot bubble bath with candles, just simply breathe in and out and relax in the tub. You can verbally say how you feel out loud to yourself. If your financially able go to a spa, get a massage, facial, manicure/pedicure if not, you can get buy products to do it yourself.

 If you find this beneficial and know someone who can use it for themselves, please share it with them.  Sharing is caring! 

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 Love Always, 

Tiffany Lael