TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
A good man brings good things out of the good stored in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. Luke 6:45
Read: Luke 6:43-45
Listen: Luke 6
TODAY’S MESSAGE
We experience many emotions on any typical day. It can be joy at the news we’ve landed the sought-after promotion and the accompanying raise. It may be frustration when the anticipated 30-minute auto repair turns into a three-hour job. Or it might be excitement to learn you’ve made a sports team at school. We learn early in life that it’s easy to love our emotions when we feel good. We just as quickly learn to hate them when they feel bad.
The Bible continually reminds us that God is a God of emotion. Among the emotions God shows are compassion (Psalm 135:14), love (1 John 4:8) and joy (Isaiah 62:5). Being made in the image of God means that emotions are a large part of what it means to be human. But there is a huge difference between God’s emotions and ours. Because he is perfect, his emotions are always righteous. Because we are not, we can be controlled by our emotions rather than controlling them.
Emotions are often an indicator of something deeper going on in our life. Whether good or bad, emotions can be the catalyst for what we say and do (Luke 6:43-45). This means we need the Holy Spirit to help us slow down and figure out why we feel the way we do and act the way we’re acting. As we look at anger, sadness, anxiety and desire in the next few weeks—we’ll see how God helps us navigate these emotions.
IN YOUR CHAIR TIME TODAY
Begin the habit of using the Navigating Emotions tool to help you recognize your feelings and to invite God into your emotions. The tool does two things. (1) It first asks you to name the emotion(s) you are feeling. (2) Then it gives you a prayer that asks God to provide the fruit of Spirit you need today. Take this card with you and repeat this prayer as often as you need.
2022 BIBLE MEMORY PRACTICE
Develop spiritual roots and tap in the power of God’s word by memorizing monthly a Bible verse! View previous verses at beyondtheweekend.org/biblememorypractice.
JAMES 1:19–20
My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.
