Recap - An emotion is a feeling that arises in response to one's circumstances or experiences, often influencing thoughts and behaviors. Emotions can also be a result of a way of thinking.
God made us in His image and likeness, giving us the ability to experience emotions. However, as God, He determines which emotions are lawful and which are not. To clarify, God has established that our feelings should align with our role as His creation, while He feels according to His role as the Creator.
As the Creator, God has determined which emotions are lawful for us to feel and which are unlawful or considered sinful. Being all-knowing, He is the only being capable of judging all things accurately according to truth and facts. In our finite wisdom, we will never fully understand the complexities of governing souls and lives.
Can we know every experience of every person? Can we determine the best judgment for every situation? Can we set in order a seamless timeline that will ultimately ensure all righteousness is rewarded and all sin judged? The answer is simply no.
As a result, we must stay in our place as creation. He instructs us how to think and feel, so we do not try to take His place as the all-knowing Creator. If someone offends us, we forgive. If a situation in our life troubles us, He instructs us to be content and at peace. There are times when we must curb our emotions so as not to offend others. We must be free of judgmentalism and quick to give the benefit of the doubt because, in reality, we do not know the spiritual and emotional forces at play in people’s lives, nor do we fully understand why God allows certain situations in the first place. So, He simply tells us to trust Him—that He is a good God working all things for our good—and to respond in love, giving others the benefit of the doubt when they offend us.
Though emotions have been given to us for expression, there are times when we are not permitted to express how we feel because God does not want us to feel that way to begin with. In such moments, we must humble ourselves before God, our Creator, and submit to His way as His creation and children.
As we continue, we will explore more deeply how emotions should be expressed through a son of God.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
Isaiah 44:6-7
6 Thus saith the Lord the King of Israel, and his redeemer the Lord of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.
7 And who, as I, shall call, and shall declare it, and set it in order for me, since I appointed the ancient people? and the things that are coming, and shall come, let them shew unto them.
Job 40:1-14
1 Moreover the Lord answered Job, and said,
2 Shall he that contendeth with the Almighty instruct him? he that reproveth God, let him answer it.
3 Then Job answered the Lord, and said,
4 Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer thee? I will lay mine hand upon my mouth.
5 Once have I spoken; but I will not answer: yea, twice; but I will proceed no further.
6 Then answered the Lord unto Job out of the whirlwind, and said,
7 Gird up thy loins now like a man: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me.
8 Wilt thou also disannul my judgment? wilt thou condemn me, that thou mayest be righteous?
9 Hast thou an arm like God? or canst thou thunder with a voice like him?
10 Deck thyself now with majesty and excellency; and array thyself with glory and beauty.
11 Cast abroad the rage of thy wrath: and behold every one that is proud, and abase him.
12 Look on every one that is proud, and bring him low; and tread down the wicked in their place.
13 Hide them in the dust together; and bind their faces in secret.
14 Then will I also confess unto thee that thine own right hand can save thee.
Even Jesus, becoming creation, submitted to the authority of God.
Philippians 2:5-9
5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
Proverbs 23:7
For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he, Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee.
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