Living Beyond Your Feelings: Controlling Emotions So They Don't Control You

I learned that what happened to me did not have to define who I was. My past could not control my future unless I allowed it to.

Our feelings are unreliable and cannot be trusted to convey truth.

The sooner we learn feelings are fickle, the better off we are.

If you want to give the devil a nervous breakdown, just get up every day and see how much good you can do.

The three most harmful negative emotions are anger, guilt, and fear. And anger is number one. It is also the strongest and most dangerous of all passions.

[T]he Christian is unable to sin and not care ... They may sin, but they cannot do so comfortably and continually. They are very much aware of their wrong actions, and they are very miserable.

Good relationships require a lot of hard work, education, and willingness to meet each other’s needs.

Gaining a victory is more difficult than maintaining it once you have it.

If we have to wait to see how we feel before we know if we can enjoy the day, then we are giving feelings control over us. But thankfully we have free will and can make decisions that are not based on feelings. If we are willing to make right choices regardless of how we feel, God will always be faithful to give us the strength to do so. Living the good life that God has made ready for us is based on our being obedient to His way of being and doing. He gives us the strength to do what is right, but we are the ones who must choose it… God won’t do it for us.

You will invest in something as you live your life, so make sure it is something that will pay dividends you will enjoy.

No matter what you might be going through right now, I encourage you to make a decision that God will bring you through, and you do not have to be afraid of lack in any area of your life because God is faithful.

I can patiently wait for the things I want in life, trusting God to bring them in His timing.

Millions of people miss today because either they refuse to let go of the past or they worry about the future.

Hannah Whitehall Smith, the author of The Christian’s Secret of a Happy Life, said, “God disciplines the soul by inward exercises and outward providences.” What she means is that God will put into our hearts the right thing to do in every situation, but if we choose not to do it, then He will allow our circumstances to become our teacher.

You can always tell God how you feel and ask for His help and strength, but talking about negative feelings just to be talking does no good at all. The Bible instructs us not to speak with idle (inoperative, nonworking) words (see Matt. 12:36). If negative feelings persist, asking for prayer or seeking advice is a good thing, but once again I want to stress that talking just to be talking is useless.

If someone hurts you, cry a river, then build a bridge and get over it. Unknown

There are many emotions we have to resist, but happiness is not one of them! So go ahead and be as happy as you can possibly be.

No matter what we own, we will not be happy if doing God’s will is not a priority in our lives.

A happy heart is good medicine and a cheerful mind works healing, but a broken spirit dries up the bones. (Proverbs 17:22)

If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals upon his head. Do not let yourself be overcome by evil, but overcome (master) evil with good. (Romans 12:20–21)

Remember that we cannot judge the moral value of any action by how we feel. Our feelings are unreliable and cannot be trusted to convey truth.

I have strength for all things in Christ Who empowers me [I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him Who infuses inner strength into me; I am self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency]. (Philippians 4:13)

I will say positive, hopeful things no matter how I feel.

I always believe the best of every person, and I am very positive.

1. Just Keep Breathing Lauren told me that after Bob died, she couldn’t imagine getting through the rest of her life without him. She told herself she just needed to get through the next year, which would be the hardest one, but that was too overwhelming. Little by little, she kept reducing the length of time she needed to get through in order to make it. A month was too daunting; even a week or a day felt like too much. Finally, she realized that all she had to do at any given moment was just keep breathing and eventually she would make it through. “Just keep breathing” became her motto. I remember a time when I experienced a major loss and I kept saying, “Just get up and put one foot in front of the other.” I felt I needed to just keep moving so I didn’t sink into the despair I felt.

This is the day which the Lord has brought about; we will rejoice and be glad in it ( Psalm 118:24 )

You can fight the feelings of depression by reminding yourself of blessings in your life. You can listen to music or sing. Even getting your mind off yourself by doing something kind for someone else will help immensely. Don't forget that our moods are connected to our thoughts; therefore, I urge you to take notice of what you're thinking about when you feel depressed. You may find the source of your problem.

Take the helm and sail your own ship. Don't just get into the boat with nobody at the helm and merely hope that the waves of life take you somewhere good.

We cannot always control all our circumstances, but we can control ourselves with God’s help.

God is on our side, and His grace is sufficient to meet our every need.