| The Role Of Emotions Emotions are a legitimate and | | | | have become people of emotion rather than the |
| essential part of our human make-up. However, they | | | | people of love which Jesus requires of us, and for |
| should be regarded as serving a similar function to | | | | which the Father has generously made available his |
| the senses. Our senses give us information about our | | | | grace, to assist us in become more deeply associated |
| environment and situations. That information is then | | | | with him. Every time we allow our emotions to |
| processed by the brain so that we can take | | | | dictate to us, they are elevated into the position of |
| whatever action is appropriate and logical. Of course, | | | | mastery over us. This is not what God wants and it |
| our senses provide their information in various ways, | | | | is not the purpose for which God gave us emotions. |
| so that our sense of smell gives different, though | | | | Except that they provide us with information, |
| often complementary, information to, say, our eyes. | | | | emotions do not matter in God. All that matters for |
| Likewise, our emotions provide information, albeit of | | | | the Christian is what God has said, what God has |
| different kinds. The Effects Of Dominant Emotions | | | | promised. God does not lie. Whatever God has said, |
| Emotions are there to serve our needs. Yet we | | | | is saying, will say, is truth. God is Truth and what is |
| often allow them to become our masters instead of | | | | true is fact. Emotions and feeling do not come into |
| remaining our servants. When this happens our | | | | this in any way. The Function Of Emotions Emotions |
| behaviour, and even our decisions, are dictated by | | | | often do exert mastery over us. They can do this |
| what we feel rather than by what we know and | | | | by telling us that we have been hurt. But whether |
| understand. For example, someone we know and | | | | this is of any consequence or not is actually outside |
| love treats us in an unkind and apparently | | | | the proper sphere of emotions. When we are hurt in |
| unwarranted fashion, and our reaction may then be | | | | this way, it is not the function of the emotions to |
| to distance ourselves from them, or not speak to | | | | determine what action should follow as a |
| them, or refuse to ask them to participate in some | | | | consequence. Their function is to inform, not to |
| event to which we would normally invite them, or | | | | determine our actions. As Christians, and as spiritual |
| even to criticise them to others. However, a more | | | | people, our actions have to be determined through |
| loving attitude, combined with a little reflection and | | | | the mental processes which it is the brain's function |
| less pride, might indicate that their action was out of | | | | to carry out, properly regulated by our spirituality. |
| character and may have been due to some stress or | | | | These processes are informed processes, not |
| pressure from events in which they were involved, | | | | emotional reactions to what may be no more than |
| or even to some (albeit temporary) illness or | | | | random stimuli: things that we cannot control or |
| indisposition, all of which we are perhaps unaware. | | | | determine and which might not have occurred had |
| Yet we have allowed our emotions to dictate our | | | | we been in a different place at the time. Once we |
| actions; they have ceased to be servants and we | | | | understand clearly the roles and functions of the |
| have elevated them to the position of master over | | | | emotional side of our nature we are in a much |
| us. This has cost us considerable freedom. Any | | | | stronger position to progress our growth in God |
| retaliation, or indulged feelings of self pity, will be | | | | through Jesus, whose life was a continual example of |
| unsatisfying compensations for what we have lost. | | | | how to control and use emotions. |
| We are then being dominated by our emotions. We | | | | |