This week, someone said to me, "You can't live in your emotions and fulfill your assignment at the same time. It's like trying to serve two gods or being 'double-minded.'"
My heart lept -- knowing that the truth for me was the opposite.
Emotions are a vital part of what it means to be a human being made in the image of God and redeemed in Jesus Christ. Certainly, the Lord understands our emotions (since He created us with the capacity to feel and express them), and He expresses His own emotions flawlessly.
The reason for my posting is because I earnestly believe we should LIVE in emotions – the right ones. If there is an error in the Church today for me, it is that uncaring ministers peruse fame, being known, and gaining success over genuinely caring for people. They overlook those deemed less than. They are too busy preaching to notice that people are hurting and need solutions.
Society has taught us that emotions are weak, irrational, childish, a way to get what you want, and not reliable. If we LIVE in the wrong emotions or fallen nature of sin, rebellion, haughtiness, irrational, out of control, lying, etc. then of course that will cause us to be double-minded.
The Holy Spirit convicts us when emotions need to be tempered or changed. The Holy Spirit comes to heal our brokenness and misplaced emotions…in spite of our weaknesses, God loves us and comforts us. Through it all, the ultimate point is the revelation of Christ IN US.
Living in Our Right Emotions
BUT… WE SHOULD LIVE IN OUR RIGHT EMOTIONS. Joy. Love. Right emotions are uplifting and empowering.
God has strong emotions!!! Love, passion, caring, anger, etc.! All emotions can and must be redeemed and used to fulfill our assignment!
Leading without emotion can be empty and remote… it is all about love.
Jesus cried because people missed his arrival! Rightly used emotions are God-given! He mourns, he laughs, He hates! He is displeased, He has been angry, etc. EMOTIONS bring ACTION. WHO are you called to care for? Who is having a difficult time and needs you right now?
Emotions can lead to purpose! What you really care about may be your assignment.
People follow those with Charisma – grace.
There will be times when the genuineness of our faith intensely touches us. As Romans 12:15 puts it, “Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.” Our responses in worship can be very emotional.
Being Filled with Compassion
Clearly, we can be angry at religious hypocrisy and not sin. Jesus used very harsh words, saying things like snakes, vipers, etc. Ravenous wolves. And He made no apologies for His impatience.
We need empathy for the condition of others. Jesus WAS FILLED WITH COMPASSION when John the Baptist died. His response was the ACTION of healing the multitudes.
Jesus was FRUSTRATED with the unbelieving and perverse generation (Mat. 17:14-20). We see the Lord feeling sorrow when Lazarus died -- and when his sister Mary cried, Jesus was MOVED and troubled (Jn. 11:14).
Right emotions lead us to action! We turn over tables in the temple to correct behavior.
Jesus suffered the emotions of being alone and forsaken on the cross. But He did it so we could gain eternal life. He deeply cared that His mother suffered while He was tortured. So, should we care when others are suffering?
We are called to continually extend grace, love, and forgiveness even to those who have wronged us. That’s LIVING in emotions.
Dr. Kluane Spake
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