Will Over The Heart

Something I strive for as a Christian is to avoid being controlled by emotions. Emotions do not rule in this heart...at least not all the time.

I admit I struggle with this more often than I would like to struggle. I find it difficult at times to keep my wits about me in the midst of welling emotions that rage beneath the surface of an otherwise calm exterior. Today was such a day.

It seemed that everything was out to annoy me, and I do mean EVERYTHING. From the oversleeping rush when I stepped out of bed, to the clothes that weren't folded, to the child that didn't think it was a good time to be obedient, to the things on the kitchen counter that no matter where I placed them, seemed to fall to the floor, to the leaking items in the refrigerator, to the medicine that was suddenly uncooperative in being cut in half for appropriate dosage, to the keys that could not be found, to the purse that was saturated with the orange drink from last night, to the .... I could go on, but I think you got the point a few phrases back...thank you for letting me vent!

In and of themselves, these trivial items are so insignificant and what does it really matter? I think it doesn't. Yet, several times I found myself going into my room, sitting on the bed and waiting for tears to come to relieve the anger I felt. I was frustrated and couldn't seem to move the frustration away from myself. I even scared my dog!

So here I am at the end of the day, thinking back over my choices. See, a while back, I realized that these "bad days" were a matter of choice. Granted, that choice was rather difficult to make today, but it was nonetheless a choice still! I regret that I failed to make the better choice sooner, but I guess "better late than never" ? ;)

Come on...laugh with me!

So by the time I left church today, I was on the upswing, and attempting to live out that choice of a better attitude and while my feelings didn't follow immediately, they did eventually follow. I think we women tend to get trapped there. When we do not see immediate emotion change, we give up on the attempt and move on to another strategy. What we can often miss is that, given some time, our emotions can catch up to our choices. Forgiveness, attitude, generosity, kindness, patience...all kinds of things we know we "ought" to "feel", are often a matter of choice that, given time, will change our feelings. But we need to give ourselves that time and go on faith that we are making those right choices even when we have yet to reap emotional rewards.

So anyway, not sure if this made much sense to anyone reading it, but wanted to put it out there anyway! Emotions do not rule unless you let them. So let's recapture and tame the fleshly heart that would stear us into chaos and remember that our will can be exerted over the feelings of the moment. No matter what situation you find yourself in!

God bless and take care!