God created us with feelings because He has emotions too. Jehovah has emotions. We read of Him being blessed. The Lord is happy to save souls.
“Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah” (Psalm 68:19 KJV).
We also know about His jealousy.
“For thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God” (Exodus 34:14).
It is completely normal for us to feel all kinds of emotions because you and I are created in God’s image.
“So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them” (Genesis 1:27).
The apostle Paul said he held the Philippians in his heart (Philippians 1:7-8). Paul also wrote about joy and a spirit of peace in the same chapter. In contrast, there are emotions of envy and strife in Philippians chapter one as describing false brethren. These sinful emotions are rooted in selfishness.
“But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.” (James 1:14-15).
Since there are good and positive emotions as well as sinful ones, there must be another element to consider. The solution to having the negative emotions of a sinful disposition is reason. God expects us to think with Him. Salvation depends upon sound thinking whether it is formal logic or as the thinking we do as we carry throughout the day.
“Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” (Isaiah 1:18).
Now, sometimes knowledge just plain makes a person too proud; “if any man think that he knoweth anything, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know. But if any man love God, the same is known of him” (1 Corinthians 8:2-3). It’s one thing to be equipped with the Scripture, handling it well, but lacking love spoils it. Nevertheless, it takes thinking with God to drive our emotions in a spiritually positive direction. We must have a reasonable commitment to be blessed.
“Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 6:11).
“Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good” (Romans 12:9).
Reckoning takes engaging our brain in logical certainties. We must love correctly. It is irrational to love evil and hate good. Our emotional attitudes must be governed. Here is where peace comes from,
“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” (Philippians 4:8).
When we come to God with hearts made clean by Jesus’ blood we come with all our baggage from the past. Repenting, which is a change of thinking, results in a new and vibrant attitude. Our thoughts govern the way we feel. A person who is blessed is satisfied because God has filled him with contentment. As we dwell on Jesus, we are more satisfied emotionally. God created us to feel; we are created to have His emotions. The Lord has blessed us with reasoning capabilities. As the mind of God is set on righteousness, we follow the way He subscribes to our life and we are therefore emotionally sound.
Have you given your whole heart, soul and mind to Christ?
-Donny Weimar, TBC Online Instructor
