The Deceit of Emotions

Few scenes in the Bible are more emotionally charged than the resurrection scene. Every emotion imaginable was experienced on that first day of the week and those that followed until the time of Jesus’ ascension. Fear, doubt, joy, amazement, confusion, frustration, hurt, pain, hope, embarrassment, despair, and celebration were all crammed into this scene. What an emotional roller coaster ride for those involved.

Emotions, however, can deceive our hearts and distract us from the truth. Negative emotions can throw us into a whirlwind of hopelessness. Over zealous positive emotions can, at times, blind us from reality and lead us to a hard fall. It is not God’s intent that we live our lives completely tossed around by our emotions. He is truth and is constant despite what our deceitful emotions lead us to believe.

In Renovation of the Heart, Dallas Willard reminds the reader that God desires to fill our lives with attributes that offer greater stability and strength. Below are the five characteristics Willard says God desires for us:

Hope – Anticipation of good not yet here
Faith – Confidence grounded in reality (that reality is Jesus!)
Love – Promoting someone else’s good for their sake
(no hint of self-centeredness)
Joy – A deep sense of well-being
Peace – The relaxing of our heart resulting in the assurance that things will
turn out alright.

Don’t be tossed around and fooled by your emotions. Allow the risen Christ to be the focus of your life. He is forever steady. His truth remains eternally secure as the foundation of the world. He is the standard by which all things are judged.

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7).

Blessings!
Pastor Gary