Proverbs 1:5 A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels:
Emotions or God?
“Emotions should always be submitted to wisdom!” In other words…”We can benefit one another greatly by being sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s leading to help in various ways.
Proverbs 19:19 A man of great wrath shall suffer punishment: for if thou deliver him, yet thou must do it again.
This section is about tough, but necessary love, something most of us have difficulty with. This next verse reminds us about tough love. We know, from experience, that delivering someone or helping someone out without teaching them how to avoid that same mistakes in the future…then it happens again and again and again. Sometimes the best gift we can give someone is truth and practical advice, and sometimes letting them suffer the consequences of their own actions or sins.
When we live by our emotions, we are impulsive with our decisions. I heard a statement a few weeks back that I’ve been repeating quite often as a reminder, because I tend to need to take a deep breath and relax.
God’s purposes know no haste, and no delay.
So relax, be patient, and set everything to prayer before making decisions.
For an example out of my own life…
Don’t go to the Humane Society looking at puppies, when you haven’t thought it through, or prayed about it. Yes, I adopted a wonderful puppy Petey that I fell in love with and kept for a while, until quite a number of things happened where I had to give him back and it took him almost a month to find another home while I suffered terribly emotionally, ALL because I did not use wisdom in this decision. It was an emotional decision and not only I had to suffer the consequences, and still do, but poor Petey had to be miserable too, when the right owner adopted him.
Then the great example Joyce uses which you’ll have to read for yourself to find out more…
Please remember to share with the rest of us your thoughts while reading these short sections. If you’ve underlined it or highlighted something, share with us why.
When we share with each other, it causes our faith to grow and helps solidify what the Holy Spirit has been showing us while we’re reading.
Next week we’ll cover the Emotional People section…
Here’s my take-away from this section:
‘We all make messes in our lives through ignorance of God’s ways’.
Her tough-love example is only one of so many choices we have to make when deciding how much merit to give to our emotions; whether they are directed towards ourselves or others.
I read a devotion from Tony Evans this morning about WORRY and he starts like this: ‘There are struggles in life that can become emotional strongholds—things that hold you hostage and keep you from wholeheartedly serving and trusting God and experiencing the abundant life He has promised. ‘
I think this is a good theme statement of what we are hoping to explore on this journey through this book together.
‘There are struggles in life that can become emotional strongholds—things that hold you hostage and keep you from wholeheartedly serving and trusting God and experiencing the abundant life He has promised. ‘ – WOW – That is powerful. I know that has been true in my life. God is delivering me one stronghold at a time it seems.