What You Feel vs. What Is Real

I am reading through C.J. Mahaney's, "The Cross Centered Life".  What a great, quick read.  I have been reminded of so many things that I keep meaning to post about, but today I'm actually going to write about a topic that is very near and dear to me ... emotions.

I was reading one of Michelle Singleton's blog posts and she talks about some of the outward consequences of letting your emotions rule you.  One very practical one is a bad attitude.  I believe that God has given us emotions for very practical reasons and I also believe that God intentionally gave me an overabundant supply of emotions=)  I'm a pretty emotional person (although I try not to get too emotional in front of strangers).  I used to have certain friends, not prone to cry or show much emotion at all, who would laugh at me when I'd break down during a commercial or get touched when I'd hear a sweet story.  This sweet blessing to hurt with those who hurt and cry with those who cry can also be a curs if we let it take over our daily attitudes.

Mahaney describes a regular morning routine where you start listening to yourself go on and on about life's circumstances that are getting you down and it makes you just want to curl up in bed and stay there all day.  "We can either listen to ourselves and our constantly changing feelings about our circumstances, or we can talk to ourselves about the unchanging truth of who God is and what He's accomplished for us at the cross."  

I don't know about you, but I want to use every gift given from God, even these emotions that can so easily get in the way, to exalt Him.  So, let's practice self-control with our emotions in order to speak Truth to ourselves and others instead of letting them overtake us.