Practical Wisdom for All of Life

Feelings or emotions are a powerful part of our lives. Have you ever been overwhelmed by shame? Exhausted by depression? Consumed with anger? Dominated by rejection? Devoured by bitterness? Most of us can say yes to at least a few of those negative emotions. But do we have to be controlled by our emotions?

Emotions Are Part of God’s Good Creation

Feelings are a “very good” part of who we are created to be (Gn 1:31). We experience emotions because God does and we were created in his image. God grieves, rejoices, weeps, exults, is angry, and loves (Gn 6:6; Is 62:5; 63:9; Jr 31:20; Hs 11:1–8; Eph 4:30).

Anxiety affects everyone—no one escapes. You might not feel all the unpleasant effects of extreme anxiety—the churning stomach, the fluttery feelings, the cold hands, the mental broken record—but the problem of worrying and obsessing is universal.

The Capacity for Anxiety Is God-Given

Perhaps you wish you could get rid of your anxiety forever. But might the alternative be indifference to the world around you? Drugs, meditation techniques, or certain life philosophies can stop you from caring. But what would you be missing? Anxiety is a God-given capacity for knowing that something bad is going on in your world.

I t is a good thing when you respond to a true danger—like a car coming out of nowhere to broadside you—with increased heart rate and a sudden burst of energy. God made you to respond quickly in a crisis. But we are not meant to live as if we are in constant danger. The good news is that stress can be avoided and is usually manageable if you are able to recognize and take control of pressure-riddled situations. The goal isn’t to get rid of stress completely. That would be impossible. Instead, stress management may be as simple—yet as powerful—as changing your focus.

Jesus doesn’t say “I am the power cord and you are the cell phone.” He says, “I am the vine; you are the branches” (Jn 15:5).

Perhaps you are in a place where you are confused or even angry with God. You want to complain about his sovereignty. It is an act of faith to bring that complaint to him in the pattern of these psalms. Your faith in God should never silence you in the dark hours of grief. Rather, this is when we begin to understand how deep, rich, and sturdy God’s love for us really is.

Do you have areas of your life that seem difficult to change? Perhaps you often experience low-grade anger just below the surface. Maybe you avoid certain people in your life. In quiet times you find yourself reviewing disappointments, broken dreams, and harsh treatment from others. You cannot remember the last time you laughed out loud. Then there is the self-destructive behavior. Never again; you promised. So why did you just do it again? Could this mess in any way involve the past?

Two Competing Answers

Some suggest that your past is everything. You are being ruthlessly driven by irrational forces outside your control.