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…being in an agony [of mind]. He prayed [all the] more earnestly and intently, and His sweat became like great clots of blood dropping down upon the ground. Luke 22:44

Remember, feelings are part of the soul which is often said to be composed of the mind, will, and emotions.

When we are born again, we are not told to stop thinking. We are just told to start thinking a new way.

When we are born again, we are not told to stop deciding, to stop desiring, we are just told to surrender our will to God and decide to do what He desires, according to the leading of the Holy Spirit.

The same is true with emotions. When we are born again, we are not told to stop feeling. We are just told to learn how to express those feelings in the right way.

Jesus did not feel like going to the cross, but He resisted against operating by His feelings. He subjected His emotions to His heavenly Father.

In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus went through agony of soul in His efforts to resist the temptation to do what He felt like doing rather than what He knew was God's will for Him.

Testing the Emotions

Oh, let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end, but establish the [uncompromisingly] righteous [those upright and in harmony with You]; for You, Who try the hearts and emotions and thinking powers, are a righteous God. Psalm 7:9

Here in Psalm 7:9 and also in Revelation 2:23 (…I am He Who searches minds (the thoughts, feelings, and purposes) and the [inmost] hearts…) we read that God is a God Who tries emotions. What does the word try mean in this context? It means to test until purified.

A few years ago, as I was praying, God said to me, "Joyce, I am going to test your emotions." I had never heard of anything like that. I didn't know these Scriptures were even in the Bible. So I went on my way.

About six months later I just suddenly seemed to become an emotional wreck. I cried for no reason. Everything hurt my feelings.

I thought, "What is the problem here? What's going on?"

Then the Eord reminded me of what He had said to me earlier, "I am going to test your emotions." He led me to Psalm 7:9 and Revelation 2:23 and caused me to understand what He was doing for my own good.

No matter who you are, there will be periods of time in which you feel more emotional than usual. You may wake up one morning and feel like breaking down and crying for no reason. That may last a week or it may last longer. You may think, "What is my problem?"

During those times you have to be careful because your feelings will get hurt very easily. The slightest thing will set you off.

There were times in my life when I would go to bed praying, feeling as sweet as could be, then wake up the next morning like I had stayed up all night eating nails! I would get up in such a foul mood that if anyone came near me or crossed me, I felt like hitting them on the head!

What should we do when we start feeling that way? First of all, we shouldn't start getting under condemnation. Number two, we shouldn't even try to figure out what is happening. What we should do is simply say, "This is one of those times when my emotions are being tried. I'm going to trust God and learn to control them."

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.

Copyright © 1997 by Joyce Meyer

Tags: Emotions and Feelings, Christianity

About the Author

JOYCE MEYER has been teaching the Word of God since 1976 and in full-time ministry since 1980. She is the bestselling author of more than fifty inspirational books, including How to Hear from God, Knowing God Intimately, and Battlefield of the Mind. She has also released thousands of teaching cassettes and a complete video library. Joyce's Enjoying Everyday Life radio and television programs are broadcast around the world, and she travels extensively conducting conferences.