Uncommen: TriggeredНамуна

When I Let My Emotions Control Me

2 Peter 1:5-7 (NIV) — "For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love."

When we let our emotions control us, we are susceptible to all kinds of ungodly outcomes. In 2 Peter 1:8-9, it states, "For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins."

Now I know what you are thinking, "I don't let my emotions control me...I'm a man". 
 

• Competitiveness
• Anger
• Speech
• Violence
• Pouting
• Defensiveness
• Insecurity
• Ego
   

Does any of this sound familiar? Does it sound like you? These are all things that men often struggle with and it’s the polar opposite of what 2 Peter 1:5-7 tells us to strive after. 

So, let's assume that men can have emotions as well. We may not realize that we allow them to have more control over us than we think. 

Reacting vs. Self-control

In today's hypersensitive culture, it seems we feel we must react to everything we see or read. If we see a news segment, we think we must respond somehow. If we read a social post that we disagree with, we must respond with our opinion to correct the injustice.

Some things require a reaction. Most don’t.

Proverbs 29:11 - “A fool gives full vent to his spirit, but a wise man quietly holds it back.”

Having self-control would allow us to pause, pray about it, and respond to the situation through the guidance of the Holy Spirit. In the heat of the moment, this may seem impossible. However, because of the Holy Spirit, it is possible. We can be people who are known as being self-controlled.

Where do these qualities mentioned in 2 Peter 1:5-7 start? It starts with supplementing your faith with virtue and virtue with knowledge. We must know the Bible! We must know Jesus! Let’s spend time in the Word, diligently.
 

Uncommen Questions:

Do you let the news or social media trigger your responses?

Do you take time to pray, reflect, and respond as the Holy Spirit directs?

Uncommen Challenge:

I challenge us to reexamine how we let our emotions control us.