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Emotions: Where Are They Taking You?

Emotions: Where Are They Taking You?. Where Are We Headed?. Emotions: The What, Why, and How So Why Are Emotions Such a Challenge? Help and Hope. What emotions do you struggle with most frequently in your role as ____________?. Emotions in t he Spotlight. Some of My Roles: Mom

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Emotions: Where Are They Taking You?

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  1. Emotions: Where Are They Taking You?

  2. Where Are We Headed? • Emotions: The What, Why, and How • So Why Are Emotions Such a Challenge? • Help and Hope

  3. What emotions do you struggle with most frequently in your role as ____________?

  4. Emotions in the Spotlight Some of My Roles: • Mom • Teacher • Counselor • Relative of someone struggling with addiction • Friend • Sister • Wife • Grandmother • Follower of Christ Emotions I Struggle With: • Worry/Trust • Apathy/Passion-Care • Anger

  5. The What and How of Emotions (Sande, 2015) • Part of God’s design (Psalm 139; Sande, 2015) • Created in His image for relationship with God and others • Part of the “good” of creation • Physiological response to stimuli • Involves the brain, the muscles, the respiratory and cardiovascular systems, and hormones • Impact thought and behavior

  6. The Why Emotion: “to move” • An integral part of carrying out God’s greatest commandment: • “to love the Lord your God with all of your heart, with all of your soul, and with all of your mind” (Matt. 22:37) • God wants me to feel something for Him, not just to do something for Him. He designed us so we could be in relationship with Him. • And the second greatest commandment…to love your neighbor as yourself • I John 3: 14,16 (NLT): “…but a person who has no love is still dead…We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us. So we also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters.” SO WHAT’S THE PROBLEM???

  7. The Problem is Not… • Emotions • My situation • A person

  8. Engine Trouble

  9. Spotlight: ON … the battle for control going on in my heart. Self-Rule Christ-Rule Emotions put the spotlight on who is ruling in our heart. The spotlight helps us to see… Who’s in charge? In which direction am I moving?

  10. The Source of Our Struggle “What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires (i.e., passions)that battle within you? …You quarrel and fight…”(James 4:1-2, NIV) “The trouble is with me…I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate…” (Romans, 7:14-15, NLT)

  11. Remember the “Why” Emotions move us! The direction in which our emotions move us matters… It will either be toward God or away from God. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. (James 4:8) “You spiritual adulterers!” (James 4:4) If we are not heeding the warning, then we will be carried out with the tide. The pull of our sinful nature is too powerful to allow us to be static in our relationship with Him. The stakes are high!

  12. Just a small indulgence… • I’m just a worrier. • I need to vent. • She makes me so mad. • I’m just having a bad day…OKAY????? But the stakes are high, because emotions are designed to move us. Out of control emotions move us toward self-rule. • Fights and quarrels • Adultery in our relationship with God Contrast this with the two greatest commandments: • Love God • Love others

  13. Emotions Shine a Spotlight into Our Heart Spotlight Questions • What do I desire: • What matters most to me? • What do I really love? • What do I feel like I really need? • What do I fear: • What do I think I can’t live without? • What do I fear losing?

  14. Help and Hope

  15. The Good News: Hope in the Gospel Emotions do not have to be in the driver’s seat! • Truth about God: Holy; loved us enough to die in our place so we could be in relationship with Him. • Truth about me:I’m without hope except for God’s love, mercy, and grace; by faith, I’m His child. • Truth about others: We’re all in need of grace, none of us having reason to boast.

  16. My Response Hebrews 12:1-2 (NLT) “…Let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by fixing our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfectsour faith.” My responsibility: • Put off • Put on • Stay focused

  17. Engage in the Battle: The Growth Of Christ-Rule Self-RuleChrist-Rule Passions At War Worry Anger/Revenge Jealousy Apathy Impatience Peace Self-control Love Goodness Kindness Patience

  18. Practical Strategies • Don’t hide from the spotlight! • Remember Who holds it • Engage in community • Use Spotlight Questions to discern what’s going on in your heart • Let the Holy Spirit take control: We are saved by grace; don’t try to live by your own efforts. • Study God’s Word: • “Put offs;” “Put ons” • Know the truth about God, ourselves, and others; confront lies of the enemy. • Find ourselves in the Psalms • See ourselves as invited into God’s story, rather than Him being a bit player in ours. • Examine your prayers: What are you asking God for? • Praise/thanksgiving • Draw near unto Him and He will draw near to you (He knows we are dust!)

  19. A look at myself… • Choose an emotion that you marked as “negative;” think about a specific time when that emotion was evoked. • What was the movement/effect of the emotion? • In what direction did your emotion lead you? Away from God? Away from others? Toward God or toward others but in a negative way? • What was the outcome? Do you see yourself in the downward spiral or tripped up by the potholes leading to relational failure? • What was in your heart that was revealed by the spotlight? • What hope is offered to you in Scripture? What truths are revealed about God that indicate His response to the challenges of your situation?

  20. Big Picture Ideas about Emotions • Emotions are part of God’s good design. • Emotions shine a spotlight into our heart. • The self-ruled heart moves us away from God and others. • The Christ-ruled heart moves us toward God and others, allowing us to experience intimacy with Him and to glorify Him. We just need to cooperate with His work in us!

  21. Elijah: 1 Kings 19 • The Emotion (19:3, 4) • Fear • Despair; depression • The Movement (19:3-4) • He runs away • He separates from his servant and goes off by himself • He prays that God would take his life • The Heart (19:3;4;10;18) • Untrusting • Ungrateful • Proud; Self-righteous & Self-focused • God’s Response/My Hope (19:5-9;18; 21) • Provision for physical needs (19:5-9): an angel, food and water for now; food and water for the journey ahead; an assistant (19:21) • Provision for emotional needs: a safe place to rest (a cave); Compassion (“It will be too much for you” 19:7) • His presence (19:9) and communication with Elijah • A reminder of His sovereignty (19:18) “Yet I will preserve 7000…”

  22. Preventing the Downward Spiral: A Lesson from Elijah (I Kings 19) 1. Remember your dustiness. (Psalm 103:14) • Physical needs (I Kings 19:5-9 ) • Emotional needs & limitations (I Kings 19:7) 2. Be an instrument not a star. • God-focused, not self-focused • “I have zealously served you...I am the only one left” (19:10;14) • “Yet I will preserve…” (19:18) • Thankfulness and praise 3. Seekcommunity appropriately(19:4-9;21) • Be cautious about withdrawing • Accept the ministry of others to you • Lone Ranger Christians • Balance in submission to God’s spirit 4. Hear His whisper (19:11-16) • Know Him: “My sheep hear my voice…”; know His word to discern His voice from the lies of the enemy (which can be ourselves!) • The power of the quiet, ordinary moments: Not in the windstorm, the earthquake, or the fire • Be still enough to hear • Hear His voice through His spirit at work in other believers • Respond to God’s probing (19:13-15) 5. Check your heart. • The situation provides a stage • Elijah’s emotions: fear, worry, depression; despair • Elijah’s heart: lack of trust; pride

  23. A look at myself… • Choose an emotion that you marked as “negative;” think about a specific time when that emotion was evoked. • What was the movement/effect of the emotion? • In what direction did your emotion lead you? Away from God? Away from others? Toward God or toward others but in a negative way? • What was the outcome? Do you see yourself in the downward spiral or tripped up by the potholes leading to relational failure? • What was in your heart that was revealed by the spotlight? • What hope is offered to you in Scripture? What truths are revealed about God that indicate His response to the challenges of your situation?

  24. Our Hope and Help “…You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous, how well I know it…How precious are your thoughts about me O God…and when I wake up you are still with me!... Search me O God and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life” (NLT).

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