FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2022 EMOTIONS

 FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2022 - HUMAN DESIRES / EMOTIONS

Oh Fridays, I write about spiritual things.  Today, I’m borrowing from one of my reading plans about human desires and emotions.

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(quoted)

“What are human desires? It’s your emotions and your affections. 

Let me give you three questions to ask about your emotions when you’re trying to figure out how to deal with how you feel. When you’re angry or upset or frustrated — whatever you’re feeling — ask these three questions:

1. “What’s the real reason I’m feeling this?” Maybe the answer is fear or worry. Maybe it relates to something your dad said to you years ago, and when your husband said it to you, he got all the anger against your dad that you pent up. 

2. “Is it true?” Is what you’re feeling at that moment true? There’s a point in the Bible where Elijah gets so discouraged that he went to God and complained, “God, I’m the only one in the entire nation of Israel left serving you.” And God challenged him, saying, “Are you kidding me? I’ve got all these people who are still serving me! You’re acting like you’re the only one trying to do the right thing in the whole world! No. That’s not true.” 

3. “Is what I’m feeling helping me or hurting me?” Will you get what you want by continuing to feel this way? A lot of feelings we have feel natural, but they’re actually self-defeating.

(end quote)

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Let’s say you go to a restaurant, and the service is extremely slow. You wait a long time to be served, and then a couple comes in 15 minutes after you and gets their meal before you do. You get increasingly more irritated until you feel something welling up inside you. 

What’s the real reason you’re feeling that way? You’re hungry!

Is it true? Yes. You’re frustrated because the service is slow. But is your emotion helping or hurting? Do you get better service by getting angry at the server? Absolutely not. 

Does nagging work? Has it ever worked? When somebody tells you all the things you’re doing wrong, does it make you want to change? No! All it does is make you defensive. 

When you ask yourself these three questions, you get a better grip on why you feel the way you do and what you need to do to help the situation.

That’s called managing your emotions. 

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So, two days ago I got a notice that my cell phone bill was late.  I hadn’t gotten any notice - no email, no paper bill, no text.  I go to my provider’s store and pay the bill and then ask ‘how come’.  

1. “What’s the real reason I’m feeling this?”

I was frustrated that two years into divorce the account had not been divided.  “C'mon now - get this fixed”.  

2. “Is it true?”

Yes, it was - but with technology, it could be fixed.  (It did take time - four phone calls (two were later at night and there was only the automated artificial intelligence agent working and that was no help)

3. “Is what I’m feeling helping me or hurting me?

I was frustrated - so I guess it was hurting me.

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Can I do anything about it?

1 Thessalonians 5:19 “In Everything Give thanks”

 

Philippians 4:6-8

 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things

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If I am frustrated, I am wrong.  I need to adjust my attitude.  I’m thinking of those who have been wrongly convicted of crimes and some who spend years in prison for something they didn’t do.  Anger, and hate doesn’t win, Love Wins!!!  And, even those who spend years in prison for something they DID do.  

There is an expression “Life isn’t fair”.  That may (or may not) be true - but how I adjust to a situation is paramount - choose the high road, choose the positive, faith-filled route.  

I believe in a higher power - maybe like “The Force”, or “God”.  I can’t comprehend something/someone so far beyond me - so infinite - while I am so finite.  Sometimes I view my life as a “tryout” for the “majors”  -not the major leagues of baseball, but the major league of what some call heaven.  

LOVE WINS!!! 
(Don’t turn to the dark side)

Karen White, September 23, 2022, ©