‘For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven. A time to be born and a time to die. A time to plant and a time to harvest. A time to kill and a time to heal. A time to tear down and a time to build up. A time to cry and a time to laugh. A time to grieve and a time to dance. A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones. A time to embrace and a time to turn away. A time to search and a time to quit searching. A time to keep and a time to throw away. A time to tear and a time to mend. A time to be quiet and a time to speak. A time to love and a time to hate. A time for war and a time for peace.’ Ecclesiastes 3:1-8(NLT)
‘Fools vent their anger, but the wise quietly hold it back.’ Proverbs 29:11(NLT)
‘And “don’t sin by letting anger control you.” Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, for anger gives a foothold to the devil.’ Ephesians 4:26-27(NLT)
Devotional Content:
The first time that I saw my granddad cry was the night he told me that his mother had just died. I was about six years old. My granddad was my hero. He taught me everything from how to build things, to farming, to the importance of having Jesus in my life. This big strong man came and sat on the edge of my bed that night with tears in his eyes, and told me of his sadness. I have never forgotten that night. The impact was profound. It was a few years later that I was sad and tears began to stream down my cheeks. I was with some friends but I never flinched. Crying was okay. It was not until I was much older that I realized what a gift my grandad gave me.
There is all this confusion in men about their emotions. When is it okay to show them? Are some emotions good and others bad? What does it mean to be led by the Spirit and not driven by our emotions?
Here is my take of these questions. First, I believe all emotions come from God. Therefore, the emotion itself is neither good or bad; it is how we choose to express the emotion that can be good or bad. If I am angry at someone and ask them to talk it through with me, that would be a good way to handle my anger. On the other hand, if I just start hitting the person, that would be a bad way to handle it. I think the Holy Spirit is there, ready and waiting to help us handle our emotions in a way that honors God. He is right there and ready to jump in. We just have to ask Him.
Today’s Challenge:
- What emotions do you need to express in healthy ways that would be good for you and those around you?
- When are you vulnerable to being driven by your emotions?
- Is there an emotion in your life that is out of control? If so, will you reach out for help today?
Going Deeper:
List the three emotions that you experience the most. Now prayerfully examine each of these before God. Ask His wisdom in handling each of these emotions in a way that honors Him.
from “Fighting to be a Man of God”