I recently sat across from a dear friend and we were discussing how life was treating us. We laughed at ourselves because we both admitted that our feelings often rule us.
What about you? Do your feelings rule you? I would say that many of us would answer yes to that question.
Don’t get me wrong, feelings are good to have. We would be heartless robots without them. Yet feelings have a time and a place. Our feelings can rule us if we are not careful.
Sometimes we don’t feel like going to work or going to church. Or maybe we don’t feel like exercising or going out with our friends. Nevertheless, regardless of how we feel, there are times where we need to rule our feelings and not let our feelings rule us.
So how do we get this right? Our world is obsessed with expressing our feelings and having the right to feel. How then do make sure that our feelings don’t lead us astray?
You’re in charge
When it comes to managing our feelings, remember that you’re in charge of your feelings. Often, our feelings steer our decisions and moods, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Take charge of your feelings.
Circumstances influence your feelings
Have you ever woken up in a great mood and then felt totally down after an unpleasant phone call or interaction? Circumstances definitely influence our feelings. If we are not careful, our feelings can cause our mood to go up and down several times throughout the day. When you realise that circumstances will try to influence your feelings, you can arrest it as soon as it happens. Remember, you decide how you are going to feel.
I know that much of this is easier said than done. Feelings are good things to have but not when they control our mood and responses. If we are not careful, we can over feel and over think things to the point of paralysis. Our feelings can consume us and stop us from doing what we know we should.
So the next time you find yourself saying, “I just feel like…”, remember to arrest that immediately. Feelings can be deceitful and can lead us astray. We decide our mood and our feelings. Despite what circumstances, or others, may do to try to ruin our day, we can look at ourselves in the mirror and tell ourselves how we will feel.
Our feelings and emotions can often get the better of us. I always find it helpful to bring these before God in prayer. If you would like to know more about how to do that, click on the banner below or on the pop up.