CHFWeb: Are You Learning-Quotes to Ponder

Are You Learning?

Frustration had won. All I had wanted to do was organize the pantry by hanging up a shelf for the plastic wrap and aluminum foil. Instead, the screwdriver struck my thumb, the little screws rolled underneath a basket, and the shelf fell to the floor with a crash. I flung the shelf across the room and let out a frustrated cry. A few minutes later, I was ranting at my husband and children about the state of my house and how they weren't helping me at all. How quickly I had let my frustration with a disorganized pantry turn into frustration with my family. In her book, Managing Your Emotions Instead of Your Emotions Managing You, Joyce Meyer writes ...

When we are angry and frustrated by something in our life, we often take out our anger and frustration on someone else — usually our spouse, children, or someone else with whom we share a close relationship. The problem is not our anger and frustration as much as it is our lack of control.

I had been telling my husband the night before that I had not lost my temper recently. It's interesting how we are often tested after we comment about some area in our life, especially areas where we've made great strides. These times of testing are good for us! Joyce Meyer writes ...

How are you and I ever going to learn to control ourselves emotionally unless God allows us to go through some trying times?
Remember, the Bible says that God will never allow any more to come upon us than we are able to bear (1 Cor. 10:13.) If the Lord does not allow such testing times to come upon us, we will never learn how to deal with Satan when he brings them upon us — which he will sooner or later.
Trying times are learning times.

As I was sitting here typing this in, my husband started telling me about a PBS show that he had watched about George Eastman (of Eastman Kodak fame). At one point in Mr. Eastman's life, he employed an organist to play a tune each morning that anticipicated the mood he was going to be in for the day. It seems to me that the organist had the potential to dictate the kind of mood Mr. Eastman would be in for the day.

We don't have an organist deciding our moods, but our emotions sure do try to decide what kind of a mood we are in each day. The day before I lost my temper, I had been feeling such a peace about our home, the work we were doing to get settled, and the way everyone was helping. Before I lost my temper the next day, I had awaken feeling fussy, wanting to sleep the day away. We can easily allow our emotions to lead us out of God's will. Joyce Meyer writes ...

We are very dependent upon emotional support. If we lack understanding about the fickle nature of emotions, Satan can use them — or the lack of them — to keep us out of God's will. I firmly believe that no person will ever walk in God's will and ultimately in victory if he takes counsel with his emotions. ...
I spent many years of my life following how I felt. If I woke up feeling depressed, I was depressed all day. I didn't know at the time that I could resist these emotions. Now I realize I can put on the garment of praise as the Bible teaches in Isaiah 61:3. ...
We must learn to be aware of our emotions and know how to manage them correctly.

I never did get that shelf up. I did apologize to my dear family. Through my tears and their hugs, we gave thanks to the Lord for all the work He is doing in us and talked about ways to help me not be so overwhelmed. I'm so thankful for God's love and grace.

If you have found yourself being controlled by your emotions, spend time with the Lord, resting in Him and reading His Word. Don't just read, learn! Put into practice what you learn during this time with the Lord. Be ready, and willing, to face and go through the trying times that test what you have learned! As I share this final quote from Joyce Meyer's Managing Your Emotions, I pray that the Lord blesses you mightily as you turn to Him for wisdom! You can know that I'm turning to Him, too, seeking His wisdom and knowing He is there to lead me in His way each day, no matter what tune the organist called Emotions decides to play.

If you are going to be a person that is committed to the Word of God, you will have to learn to be led by the Spirit and not by your emotions.

A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels - Proverbs 1:5

Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath - Ephesians 4:26

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. - Galatians 5:22-25

The LORD shall judge the people: judge me, O LORD, according to my righteousness, and according to mine integrity that is in me. Oh let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end; but establish the just: for the righteous God trieth the hearts and reins. - Psalm 7:8-9

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Managing Your Emotions Instead of Your Emotions Managing You
by Joyce Meyer
In February, I started watching Joyce Meyer on television. I was at a very low point in my life. Mrs. Meyer and her ministry (through her tapes, books, and daily TV and radio programs) have been a tremendous blessing from the Lord in my life!! I have to admit that I have wanted to slam this book shut because it has "hit close to home." Yet, it has helped me to see areas in my emotional life that I am trying to work out myself. I am turning these areas over to the Lord to do His perfecting work in me. I highly recommend this book. - Kathy Ridpath
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"And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord;
and great shall be the peace of thy children."
Isaiah 54:13