In this study series we look at the problems our emotions sometimes cause us. Emotions can cause you to lose focus and become sidetracked in the unique race God has set out for you to run successfully.

Feeling pain is not a sign of failure

(Society encourages us to put on a “happy face” and hide real feelings)

● Emotional pain does not make you a 2^nd class Christian

● Emotional pain does not signal a failed relationship with Jesus Christ

Emotional pain blurs God’s reality

If you don’t see God for Who He is, you can’t see yourself for who you are in Him

● Using your emotions (even when they hurt) for their real purpose (signals) is taking

responsibility for yourself and your response to your emotions

●The greater your self-awareness the more you can control yourself.

Reason for Bitter circumstances

• You live in a fallen      creation –God/man relationship changed; no face-to-face with God

Exodus 33:

¹⁷ And the LORD said unto Moses, I will do this thing also that thou hast spoken: for thou hast found grace in my sight, and I know thee by name.

¹⁸ And he said, I beseech thee, shew me thy glory.

¹⁹ And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy.

²⁰ And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live.

²¹ And the LORD said, Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock:

²² And it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a clift of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by:

• You have a fallen nature –      Adam’s likeness = misuse of choices Gen 5:

³And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness, after his image; and called his name Seth:

You have an adversary who      wants to devour you – 1 Peter 5:

           ⁶ Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:

⁷ Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

⁸ Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about,   seeking whom he may devour:

⁹ Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.

adversary = a person, group, or force that  opposes or attacks; enemy; foe.

devour = to swallow or eat up hungrily,  to consume destructively, recklessly,

or wantonly: to engulf or swallow up; to absorb or engross wholly:

• Your emotional pain can be intensified by your      adversary’s lies

• Your      adversary has observed human nature throughout history and knows how to      use lies.

Christian life is a growing process

If any man be in Christ – 2 Corinthians 5:

¹⁷ Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

What do we expect of newborns & youths? Can they drive cars or participate in conversations? No. First basic skills must be learned and developed. SO it is in your new life in Jesus Christ. Jesus is willing to take the time required to help you grow-up into the creation He designed you to be!

Perhaps you have mis-learned some survival skills that seemed effective for you to adapt to your circumstances in the past but really are inappropriate in your new life in Jesus Christ. Remember what Jesus said when He called Lazarus from death? – John 11:

⁴³ And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.

⁴⁴ And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go.

Sometimes emotional healing is needed

Scars have no pain – healing is done

Wounds need healing

Jesus is Jehovah-Rapha (God’s remedy for emotional pain) – Exodus 15:

²² So Moses brought Israel from the Red sea, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur; and they went three days in the wilderness, and found no water.

²³ And when they came to Marah, they could not drink of the waters of Marah, for they were bitter: therefore the name of it was called Marah.

²⁴ And the people murmured against Moses, saying, What shall we drink?

²⁵ And he cried unto the LORD; and the LORD shewed him a tree, which when he had cast into the waters, the waters were made sweet: there he made for them a statute and an ordinance, and there he proved them,

²⁶ And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the LORD that healeth thee.

²⁷ And they came to Elim, where were twelve wells of water, and threescore and ten palm trees: and they encamped there by the waters.

Jesus knows all about how you feel and He wants to help you. Hebrews 4:

¹² For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

¹³ Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.

¹⁴ Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.

¹⁵ For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

¹⁶ Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

Hebrews 12:

¹ Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

² Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

So let us run the race He has set before us looking unto Jesus,

Coach Patti