Road rage is one example of one’s emotions out of control.  What triggers anger or a person with a short fuse?  Isn’t it an uncontrolled emotion?  Emotions out of control may cause dangerous responses.  If emotions are not controlled it may result in depression, phobias, anxiety or a lack of a good self-esteem.  Where did it all start?  God created us in His image with a spirit, the ability to reason, have feelings and emotions.  Ever since Adam and Eve, God has provided man with numerous ways to control one’s emotions and feelings.  Look around, have we?  Yet, God made it possible that we can control our actions.

History tells us that thousands of years ago people lived in tribes of a few hundred people or maybe less.  Anyone who was not a member of their tribe was their enemy.  It wasn’t unusual to attack, on sight, anyone they met from a different tribe.  Tribes often raided and killed other tribes for their possessions or just because they didn’t want them to exist.  It was a lawless society.  Live in most any large city today and gangs behave similar to early tribes.  People are often killed today for no apparent reason other than they don’t want someone to exist. Maybe it is out of jealousy or envy.   How far have we come?

God chose to intervene into a world whose emotions were out of control.  His plan was to choose Abraham and start a new way of life in order for the human race to live at peace with each other.  God then chose Moses to establish laws and started with the Ten Commandments.  The intent was to get the world’s emotions under control and stop wars between nations and the indiscriminate killing of people.  God then desired to establish within each person moral principles that would allow humans to change from their bad behavior.  God gives to every person a free-moral agency or the ability to choose evil or good.  He gave the same to the Jewish nation.  Too often, they became prideful and refused to share what God had given them and His message to the Gentiles.

God knew from the very beginning that laws could not create morality in a person’s heart.  His plan was to send His Son to prepare the world for the acceptance of God’s Spirit to reside in a person’s life to control what man was unable to control on his own.  God told us that if you want peace in your family, in your nation or in the world you must accept His Spirit to live within you.  He made one requirement and that was to accept Jesus Christ as His Son and Savior.  Otherwise you could not be redeemed or receive His Spirit.  Most of the world rejected God’s plan and chose to live on their own which God had given them the right to do.  Thus, we have the same situation that existed in early tribes.  People’s negative emotions and feelings resulted in bad behavior and out of control actions.

How we feel can trigger our emotions either positively or negatively.  We can react with love in our hearts for others or we can have hate.  Or we can commit the seven sins of lust, gluttony, greed, laziness, wrath, envy or pride.  All of which can lead to a moral breakdown of our society.  How many can live life on their own without breaking any of the seven sins?  Doesn’t a person have a better chance if they have the Holy Spirit and they are being guided to live without committing these sins?

Most of us know we must not let our emotions control who we are.  What causes you to become upset or angry?  How quickly and severely do you react?  How often are you frustrated?  If you are a Christian there are hundreds of Scriptures that tell us what we must do to control our emotions and our behavior.

I Peter 1:13 – 16  – “So prepare your minds for action. Control yourselves. Put your hope completely in the grace that will be given to you when Jesus Christ returns.  You should obey. You shouldn’t give in to evil longings. They controlled your life when you didn’t know any better. The one who chose you is holy. So you should be holy in all that you do. It is written, “Be holy, because I am holy.”

If you are a person that deals with emotions that need more control realize the importance of living a holy life.  Holiness begins with the proper preparation of our minds.  Our minds must be holy if our behavior is to be holy.  “For as a man thinks in his heart, so is he.” Proverbs 23:7

We are to live a life of hope.  We are not to be negative, pessimistic, judgmental or even fatalistic.  We must live as God intended: a life of joy and to the fullest in knowledge of Him.  We are to live a life of total obedience to God.  We must deny ourselves and follow Christ.  We are not to let our former desires control us.  We must know God, love Him and walk in fellowship with Him.  Christ’s holiness must replace our self-centered nature to overcome the evil desires of our flesh.  Have we not learned that we cannot easily control our emotions on our own?  Are you willing to ask for help?  Are you willing to surrender self and let the Holy Spirit council and guide you in controlling your emotions and actions?