We are quite complex—especially when it comes to our emotions. Our feelings can drive us all over the map, sometimes all in one day! Feelings can “feel like” our best friends, and, at other times, we wrestle with them as our greatest opponent. Having served the Lord for a while now, I understand that the enemy of our soul takes aim at our emotions and tries to get us to choose feelings over faith. We are tempted through our negative thoughts and emotions to make unwise decisions, which can alter the path of our life. How many people in the heat of the moment have decided “I quit this job!” or “I’m out of this marriage!” I find comfort in the fact that God understands emotions. After all, we are made in His image, and He has emotions as well. He is never confused or dominated by His emotions. The very existence of emotion in God reveals to us that emotions are not evil. He also reveals to us through His emotions that He is not some type of machine or merely a “cosmic intelligence.” He is a person, although much greater than we can ever understand the concept of “personhood.” Because God wants us to experience victory in our emotions (as well as the rest of life), He often speaks strength and comfort to our hearts. This week, I noticed a verse that seemed to leap off the page at me. This verse is good medicine for us as we battle the negative emotions of fear and discouragement which so often attack. In the Book of Isaiah, God is speaking to the nation of Israel through Isaiah the prophet and proclaims, “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” (41:10). Wow…talk about an emotional lift! This verse was just what I needed at just the right time. My prayer for you as I write this is that you will allow the Lord to help you to control your emotions by your faith. May you experience victory over the feelings of fear and discouragement, knowing that you are being held in His strong hand. Jesus, be the Lord of our feelings!

Pastor Mark Boucher