Led by Emotions? | Chelsea Crockett
There are so many people that forget to “think before they speak” and let emotions take over. We would all be lying if we said this didn’t happen to us time and time again. We’re only human, and temper can take over, causing us to say things we never wish we would’ve said and do things we never wish we would’ve done.
Think of the last time you forgot to bite your tongue or think before you spoke. Once we cool down, a sense of regret seeps in and makes us feel embarrassed for the way we acted. It’s one of the worst feelings, and can result in the feelings of anxiety and shame.
Proverbs 29:11 says, “Fools give full vent to their rage, but the wise bring calm in the end.” And again, in Proverbs 15:18 there’s a verse that says, “A hot-tempered person stirs up conflict, but the one who is patient calms a quarrel.”
What does this say about emotions? Solomon brings it up twice in the same chapter, and even a couple more times throughout. When we let ourselves be led by emotions, we stir up conflict and cause bigger problems than we can handle.
So, what should we be led by? Our heart? Our head? Our gut feeling?
Psalm 143:10 says, “Teach me to do Your will, For You are my God; Let Your good Spirit lead me on level ground.” When we’re led by the Holy Spirit, we get to experience God’s will for us. He knows when we wake up, when we go to class, and when we go to sleep at night. Why would we trust ourselves over him when he knows our past, our present, and our future?
Galatians 5:16 says, “So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.”
This verse in Galatians is yet another reason why we should be led by the Holy Spirit. When we follow the Spirit, we desire less of the world more and more every day. We discover that God always has our best interest, and leads us in the way we should think, talk, act, and live entirely.
In our daily lives, the world will encourage us to be quick to gossip, quick to argue, quick to jump to conclusions, quick to react to anything and everything… All of these things are driven solely by emotion. Spend some time in prayer, and let the Spirit lead you in your responses, actions, thoughts, and so much more!
Next time you feel anger stirring up or anxiety creeping in, remember who leads you and gives a sense of peace in every circumstance.
Chelsea is a writer, youtuber, speaker, author of "Your Own Beautiful Book", and Christian on mission to serve and love.