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Essence of Humanity

by Patricia Charlton  
2/08/2008 / Testimonies

Emotions are a gift from God so that humanity can relate to a feeling God. How does God demonstrate his emotions? "The Lord your God in the midst of you is mighty; He will save. He will rejoice over you with joy. He will rest in His love. He will joy over you with singing." (Zephaniah 3: 17 NKJV) God takes great delight in you and me. Whatever our emotional state, Jesus saves, rejoices, sings at our future victory. That is good news to a person from a troubled background.

Often my twisted emotions resulted in much heartache. I used anger to influence my friends into supporting actions that destroyed relationships. My bitterness locked my emotional well being into a prison of fear and rejection. My feisty attitude produced many a critical remark. These remarks built a wall of loneliness. I needed a lesson in God's school of emotions. Emotions are powerful tools in the hands our attitudes.

I needed a guide to show me the path to a productive life. Who did I find for such a task? "He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief:" (Isaiah 53: 3 NKJV). Jesus Christ is fully qualified to guide me through my valley of deep destructive emotions. Only Jesus Christ experienced this: "For we have not a high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin." (Hebrews 4: 15 NKJV) It took many years to accept help from Jesus Christ.

My problem with my twisted emotions began with trusting others. After many a failed attempt at sharing my troubles, I wrote an article called "Dirty Little Secrets." This article shed light upon my path towards healthy God honoring emotions.

My desire to conquer my twisted emotions began with an honest look at myself. My destructive habits needed an overhaul. For many years, I suppressed my anger until one day the festering mess exploded. Again, I shared my experience in an article titled "An Angry Saint". Anger is a time bomb waiting to happen. The suppressive nature of denial only triggers an even greater explosion.

We all experience those frustrating moments with difficult people, skin pealing criticisms and emotional prisons. My emotional prison included fear, anxiety, and anger. After all my years battling with explosive anger, the Holy Spirit finally enlightened my journey with a new insight into frustrations. If I want to stop anger from exploding, then don't light the wick to the bomb simple enough. I do what God says in Proverbs about "The beginning of strife is like releasing water. Therefore stop contention before a quarrel starts." (Proverbs 17: 14) But how do I practically stop my old self from damaging another? Learn what and who triggers your frustrations. So, I read a devotional Titled "Beyond My Control". Only with recognition and releasing my frustrations to the power from Jesus Christ did I overpower my desires to stike out at others. Life is chuck full of frustrating people and situations. A wise and spiritual mature woman gave me the best advice about my frustrations and controlling my feisty old nature. Never make life-changing decisions when you are too tired, too hunger or too angry. Even to this day her advice rings in my ears whenever I face frustrating circumstances.

Your victory over destructive emotions depends on your relationship with Jesus Christ. If you haven't turned your emotions over to Jesus, I suggest that you do that now. Only Christ can handle "the good, the bad, and the ugly." (Hebrews 4:15) Turn to the cross of Jesus and lay all your emotional baggage there. I warn you, that tendency to pick it up and trust your coping mechanism is a strong force. Remember this promise "And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and the word of their testimony. And they loved not their lives unto the death." (Revelation 12: 11) Only the blood from Jesus Christ cleanses and releases us from past habits.

Copyright 2008 Patricia Charlton

Devotional writer for EzraWeb and a contributing columnist for Crossmap, Patricia shares her experiences with the power of God to make anyone more than a conqueror. Her passion is Jesus and her venue is writing. Contact Patricia: [email protected]
www.devotionsfortoday.blogspot.com

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