Good Evening Devotion :-)❤️

shirleynpenalosa (63)in #christianity • 8 years ago

Direct Your Emotions Toward a Positive Ministry
By Rick Warren

“Your attitude should be the kind that was shown us by Jesus Christ” (Philippians 2:5 TLB).

If you want to succeed in life, you must learn how to master your moods. When you’re dealing with an emotion that’s holding you back, you’ve got two options: You either change it, or you direct it.

Some emotions are so destructive, so damaging, so hurtful, so non-effective, the only thing you can do is change it. You’ve got to change what you’re feeling.

Philippians 2:5 says, “Your attitude should be the kind that was shown us by Jesus Christ” (TLB).

Your attitude includes your emotions, so what you’re feeling should be the same as that of Jesus. You need to ask yourself, “How would Jesus feel in this situation? Would Jesus get irritated with this waitress? No. Would Jesus yell at that person? No. Would Jesus be up all night, wringing his hands and worrying that it isn’t going to work out? No. Would Jesus be fearful? No.”

Then, you instantly dismiss any feeling that doesn’t make you more like Jesus. If Jesus wouldn’t respond to your spouse with that emotion, then you shouldn’t either. You drop that attitude, and you figure out what Jesus would do instead.

Sometimes you need to direct what you’re feeling.

When my son Matthew died, I entered into the deepest possible grief you can imagine. But my wife and I decided from the first moment that we were going to channel that grief for good and use our pain to help other people. That’s one of the reasons Saddleback Church now hosts an annual conference on mental illness. I’m not about to waste a hurt I go through. I’m going to use it for good.

Your greatest ministry will not come out of your strengths and successes. Your greatest ministry could come out of your deepest pain.

What pain in your life are you using for good? If you have been in so much pain you didn’t even want to talk about it, then you need to learn to manage your emotions. You need to name the emotion, challenge it, and direct it if you’re not going to change it. Then, you use it for good.

Reflections:

Why is it sometimes easier to feel the emotions we want to feel instead of what we know Jesus would feel in that setting?

Think of a time you either changed or directed an emotion. What did you learn from that experience?

What pain in your life can you use to help other people?

Good evening, my steemit family and friends. Tonight's devotion reminded me of the Comics Series (Magazine) entitled "What Would Jesus Do?" a.k.a. WWJD. I have read some series of this mag way back my high school days. And this devotion tonight is similar to that of what I've read in the past. My friend's devotion is all about redirecting our emotions to win more souls for Jesus. I have felt so much pain and bitterness in the past, but I chose not to dwell on those anymore. I have moved on (at least, for me) and I just want to give you a lighter example on this one for this devotion. :-)

While it is so true and just very humanly (so normal, for me) to react negatively instead of responding the way Jesus would, in some circumstances, and to people, especially those times that our patience is being put to the test, our grace and mercy is being stretched, and even to the point of raising our voice (yes, I'm so guilty of this), we as children of God (believers) are commanded to follow the example set forth by Jesus Christ. I am not saying that I am good in following His example. I am still a work in progress and there are really times that I fail and I struggle in this area. The good news is that, I was able to control my emotions, and thus enables me to respond kindly towards somebody else's rudeness. Not all the time though, but there is already a conviction whenever I am put into an unpleasant situation. This is, of course, by God's grace. You see I cannot do this thing all by myself. It is very impossible for me to be kind to rude people (you know, I'm still human) but only by His grace, I was able to do it.

My patience is always stretched, especially when I'm home and wearing my mommy hat. It's never easy to put up with a toddler's energy, especially if I really feel so tired and the last thing I wanted to do is just lie down and sleep, but there she is still so alive and so energetic, you know and keeps on nagging me to read her favorite story book. All moms out there can relate to this for sure. :-) Even outside the home, my patience is being put to test every payday. Yes, every payday, the 15th and 30th of each month where he ATM will be coincidentally (really! just a coincidence?) offline. hahahaha. Or let's make it more realistic, yes, in a long queue of line in a fast food chain or ATM (again!) hahaha, or in a jeep stop/station, in any place, we ought to follow God's example.

When we are tempted to fight back or to respond to our human nature, let us always remind ourselves of this question, "What Would Jesus Do?" (WWJD). May we always have the heart and desire to respond the way Jesus would do so that we can lead more people to Him.

God bless each and everyone. :-)

I am @sashley a.k.a. shirleynpenalosa, a recipient of God's love, mercy and grace. ❤️

Have a blessed L❤️ve Month 2018 everyone :-)❤️

I am forever grateful to God every day of my life for giving me everything that I need and praise Him all the more for not giving me everything I want. To God be all the honor, praise and glory ❤️ :-)

@surpassinggoogle is such a generous person and has a very big heart for all of us here. Please support him as a witness by voting him at https://steemit.com/~witnesses and type in "steemgigs" at the first search box.

(Photo credits: from sir @surpassinggoogle's post footer)

If you want to give him witness voting decisions on your behalf, visit https://steemit.com/~witnesses again and type in "surpassinggoogle" in the second box as a proxy.

@paradise-found is a wonderful person, a very humble and generous encourager, let us also support him by voting and typing in "gratefulvibes" at the search box

(Photo credits: mam @sunnylife)