Can God Control My Emotions?

Have you ever found yourself in the midst of emotional chaos, where your feelings seem as wild and unpredictable as the ocean during a storm? You’re not alone; it’s a journey we all share—that wrestling with intense emotions of frustration, worry, and sorrow.

My path has intertwined deeply with Jesus Christ and His teachings. Through studying His Word, I’ve come to understand that although our emotions can be daunting at times, there is hope for navigating them in harmony with what God envisions for us.

Time spent with the pages of the Bible has consistently offered me solace and insight when faced with the ebb and flow of my own feelings.

The Bible offers an enlightening perspective: being created in God’s image (Genesis 1:27) means that our rich emotional tapestry is part of His intentional design. But does this imply that God desires control over our feelings? Rather than exerting control, God aims to lovingly reshape and steer us amidst our whirlwind of emotions.

When we anchor ourselves to biblical truths—from Peter’s lessons on patience to Paul’s fiery zeal—we uncover effective tactics for mastering our emotional landscape without veering off course due to misguided beliefs or tricky temptations.

So, why not pause for a moment, take a deep breath, and prepare your heart to explore these strategies together?

The Bible on Managing Emotions

When it comes to our inner whirlwind of feelings, let’s not forget that the Bible isn’t just an ancient book peppered with some good sayings—it’s a guidebook for life, including how we handle our emotions.

From its pages emerge timeless truths about harnessing our hearts in ways that honor both ourselves and God.

God expects us to train our feelings

God knows that our feelings can run wild—like a river after heavy rain—but He didn’t leave us without help. The Bible tells us to bring every thought into captivity to obey Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5). That means we’ve got to work out those heart muscles, training our emotions to line up with what God says is right and true. For example, if your anger starts bubbling up because someone cut in line, take a deep breath and remember… be angry and do not sin (Ephesians 4:26 “In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry). It’s normal to feel that heat rise up inside of you, but acting on it? No, that’s where we draw the line.

We also have these amazing fruits of the Spirit—love, joy, peace and patience (Galatians 5:22-23). They are tools given by God Himself! We learn how to forgive when we don’t feel like it and skip past envy with grace. 

We are commanded to obey God from the heart

God’s Word tells us to follow Him with all our heart. This isn’t just about doing the right things; it goes deeper than that. Our hearts must be in it, and we must truly want to do what God asks of us.

Mark 12:30 NIV says, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” Loving God is not just something we say—it shows in our actions.

Colossians 3:13 teaches us to bear with each other and forgive one another if anyone has a grievance against someone else. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. Forgiveness is not only saying words, but feeling them deep down inside. When we let go of anger or hurt from our hearts, that’s real obedience to God’s call for godliness—and it feels freeing!

Strategies for Managing Our Emotions

When it comes to the tempest of our emotions, we’re not left to navigate it alone. The truth is, with a little guidance from above and some of the practical steps below, we can learn to sail through even the most turbulent emotional squalls.

Start with God

Starting with God means making Him the first part of our plan to handle our emotions. We ask Him for help and trust that He will guide us.

• Seek God’s presence
• Trust in the Holy Spirit
• Remember God’s promises
• Give thanks in all things
• Share with fellow believers
• Reflect on Jesus’ example
• Confess any sins
• Read about God’s character

Watch your thoughts

Moving on from seeking God first, we must now turn to our thoughts. Our minds are truly active places, often racing with different ideas and feelings. The Bible tells us to keep an eye on what we think because our thoughts can lead us in good or bad directions.

• Guard your heart (Proverbs 4:23 Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it)

  

• Bring every thought into captivity (2 Corinthians 10:5)
• Renew your mind (Romans 12: 2)
• Choose joy (Philippians 4:8)
• Resist negative influences (James 4:7)
• Build others up (1 Thessalonians 5: 11)
• Stay humble before God (James 4:10)
• Create a thankful spirit (1 Thessalonians 5:18)

Pray

Prayer is our direct line to God. It’s how we let our hearts speak to Him and seek His presence in our lives.

• Open up to God about your feelings.
• Ask for guidance.
• Seek peace through prayer.
• Pray Scripture back to God.
• Confess any wrongdoing.
• Thank others in your prayers.
• Focus on God’s character.

Meditate on the truth of God’s Word

Life gets tough, and sometimes our hearts will feel like a stormy sea, but God gives us ways to find calm waters. One way is to meditate on His Word.

• Find a quiet spot where you can be still and know that He is God (Psalm 46:10). This space lets you focus on what God says without noise pulling you away.
• Choose a verse or passage from the Bible that speaks to your situation. 
• Read the scripture slowly, letting each word sink in. 
• Ask yourself, “What does this tell me about God?” Knowing His character helps us trust Him more.
• Reflect on how this scripture applies to your life right now. It might shine a light on choices you need to make or give you hope in tough times.
• Speak the verses out loud; there’s power in hearing the truth spoken. It can strengthen your faith as you listen to your own voice declaring God’s promises.
• Write down what you’ve learned or any thoughts that came up during meditation. Seeing it in your own handwriting makes it more real and personal.
• Share what you’ve gained with someone else in your Christian community. Talking about God’s Word helps it grow stronger in our hearts and connects us with others who can encourage us.

Act in line with God’s truth

As Christians, we aim to align our actions with God’s truth. Doing so helps us handle our emotions in a way that honors Him.

• Dive into the Bible. We learn God’s truth from His Word. Reading verses like Psalm 119: 11, “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you,” shows us how important it is to know scripture.
• Choose your reaction. Emotions come fast, but we decide how to act on them. Proverbs 15:18 NIV says, “A hot-tempered person stirs up conflict, but the one who is patient calms a quarrel.”
• Share with others. Talk about what you’re feeling with friends or church members. Galatians 6:2 NIV tells us, “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”
• Set your mind on good things. Think about what is true and right, as Philippians 4:8 guides us.
• Trust in His promises. We must hold on to verses like Romans 8:28, which reminds us that we know that in all things, God works for the good of those who love Him.
• Forgive as He forgives us. Letting go of anger frees us, just like Ephesians 4:32 says, “…forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”
• Stay humble and teachable. We keep learning and growing in our faith; James 1:5 encourages us to ask for wisdom from God.
• Seek peace intentionally. Making peace a goal means following Jesus’ example from John 14:27, where He offers peace unlike the world can give.

Conclusion

Let’s remember how we can handle our feelings with God’s help. The Bible teaches us to guide our hearts wisely and not just follow every emotion—think about Proverbs 4:23, which tells us to guard our hearts.

We have tools like prayer and diving into the Bible for support. What if we wake up feeling angry or scared? Just talking to God can make a big difference (Philippians 4:6-7). Then there are those times when thoughts try to take over; that’s when remembering truth from verses like John 8:32 can set us free.

Here’s the challenge: Live out what you believe. When tough times hit, will you act on God’s Word? Imagine peace filling your life instead of worry because you trust Him with your whole heart (John 14:27).

FAQs

1. Can God really handle all my emotions, even the big ones like wrath?

People believe that God has a handle on everything—including those super strong feelings, like when you feel so mad that you could burst.

2. Do I have to worry if I’m feeling stuff that doesn’t seem right?

No need to worry. We’re all human and feel a lot of emotions—some good, some not so great. The idea is that God knows we have this whole range of emotions going on all the time.

3. Is it true what they say—that having bad emotions means I lack faith?

No, that’s just not how things work! Feeling down or upset doesn’t mean your beliefs are weak—it means you’re conscious and kicking!