Christ Community Church of Dumas

Christ Community Church of Dumas We are a group of imperfect Believers doing the best we can to serve a Perfect Savior.

09/29/2026

Loving Difficult People: See the Heart, Not the Hurdle

What Does the Bible Say About Loving Difficult People?

The Bible’s answer is simple, but not easy:
Love them anyway.
Jesus said:
Luke 6:27–28 (NIRV)
“But here is what I tell you who are listening. Love your enemies. Do good to those who hate you. Bless those who call down curses on you. And pray for those who treat you badly.”
That sounds almost impossible.
Love people who hurt you?
Do good to people who do not like you?
Pray for people who mistreat you?
But Jesus did not just teach this. He lived it.
Jesus had a way of looking beyond what made someone difficult and seeing the person underneath it.
He saw the heart, not just the hurdle.
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What Would Jesus’ Life Look Like Today?

Sometimes when I read the Bible, I like to imagine what certain stories might look like if they happened today.
Jesus was born in a humble place and laid in a manger—a feeding trough for animals.
If that happened today, maybe we would picture Jesus being born somewhere like a garage, shed, or workshop and being placed in something makeshift because there was nowhere else available.
Jesus’ first miracle happened at a wedding when the hosts ran out of w**e. In that culture, running out could have caused the family serious embarrassment.
What would that look like today?
Maybe the caterer runs out of food halfway through the reception.
Maybe the electricity goes out.
Maybe the heat stops working during a winter wedding.
And Jesus quietly steps into the situation and meets the need.
But one of the clearest pictures of Jesus’ love happened near the end of his life.
Jesus washed his disciples’ feet.
John 13:14–15 (NIV)
“Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.”
Foot washing was not glamorous.
People traveled on dusty roads wearing sandals. Their feet were sweaty, dirty, and probably smelled terrible.
This was normally a servant’s job.
Yet Jesus got down on his knees and washed those dirty feet.
If Jesus were physically walking among us today, what would that look like?
Maybe it would be cleaning someone’s bathroom.
Changing something filthy.
Picking up trash.
Helping someone move.
Caring for someone who cannot care for themselves.
Doing the job everybody else hopes someone else will do.
Jesus was showing us that real love is willing to get its hands dirty.
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Love Is Not Just About What You Do

Sometimes we can do the right thing with the wrong attitude.
We can help somebody while complaining about them in our minds.
We can serve while feeling resentful.
We can clean the house while angrily thinking:
“Why am I always the one doing this?”
We can give someone a ride while thinking:
“They better appreciate this.”
We can help somebody and still make them feel like a burden.
That is why love is not just about what we do.
It is also about how we do it.
1 Corinthians 13:3 (NLT) says:
“If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing.”
You can perform an act of service without actually having a heart of love.
Jesus calls us to something deeper.
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What Is Biblical Love?

Biblical love is bigger than a feeling.
Love is a decision to seek what is good for another person, even when that person is difficult.
That does not mean approving of everything they do.
It does not mean allowing people to abuse you.
It does not mean pretending wrong behavior is acceptable.
Sometimes love requires boundaries.
Sometimes love requires telling the truth.
Sometimes love means stepping away from an unhealthy situation.
But even when boundaries are necessary, we can refuse to allow hatred, bitterness, and revenge to control our hearts.
Jesus demonstrated this kind of love constantly.
When Jesus washed the disciples’ feet, he knew those men were imperfect.
Peter would deny him.
The disciples would argue over who was greatest.
Many of them would run away when Jesus was arrested.
And Judas would betray him.
Yet Jesus washed their feet.
Jesus saw more than their failures.
He saw people who God loved.
He saw people who still had purpose.
He saw people who could still be changed.
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See the Heart, Not Just the Hurdle

One of the most powerful examples happens when Jesus is dying on the cross.
A criminal hanging beside him says:
Luke 23:42 (NIV)
“Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”
Jesus could have looked at that man and only seen his mistakes.
He could have seen a criminal.
A failure.
A man experiencing the consequences of terrible choices.
Instead, Jesus saw a heart reaching toward him.
Luke 23:43 (NIV)
“Jesus answered him, ‘Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.’”
Jesus saw beyond the man’s past.
He saw his heart.
That is one of the things Jesus does better than we do.
We see:
Difficult.
Jesus sees:
Hurting.
We see:
Annoying.
Jesus sees:
Someone who needs grace.
We see:
Rude.
Jesus may see:
Wounded.
We see:
Problem.
Jesus sees:
Person.
We see the hurdle.
Jesus sees the heart.
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Difficult People Are Still People Jesus Loves

Think about the difficult people around you.
The demanding boss.
The rude coworker.
The angry customer.
The family member who always causes tension.
The student who bullies everybody.
The neighbor who complains about everything.
The person who keeps disappointing you.
It is easy to define people by the behavior that irritates us.
But Jesus reminds us that every person has a story we may not completely understand.
That does not excuse wrong behavior.
It simply reminds us that they are still human beings made in God’s image.
Genesis 1:27 (NIV) says:
“So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.”
The difficult person is still made in God’s image.
The frustrating person is still someone God cares about.
The person who gets on your last nerve is still someone for whom Christ died.
And so are you.
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Clean Feet Do Not Need Washing

Jesus did not wash clean feet.
He washed dirty ones.
That gives us a picture of difficult love.
It is easy to love people who love us.
Jesus even pointed that out.
Luke 6:32 (NIV)
“If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them.”
Anybody can love someone who is kind to them.
Anybody can love someone who agrees with them.
Anybody can love someone who encourages them.
Jesus calls us deeper.
He calls us to love when loving costs something.
He calls us to show kindness when kindness is not being returned.
He calls us to pray for people we would rather complain about.
He calls us to forgive people who hurt us.
He calls us to wash some dirty feet.
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Four Ways to Start Loving Difficult People

Loving difficult people sounds good in church.
Living it out on Monday morning is harder.
So where do we begin?

1. Identify the Person

Think of one difficult person in your life.
Do not think about ten people.
Start with one.
Ask:
“God, who are you asking me to love differently?”
Maybe a name immediately comes to mind.
Write it down.
That person may be your opportunity to practice Christlike love.
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2. Identify What Makes Them Difficult for

Be specific.
Maybe they interrupt you.
Maybe they complain constantly.
Maybe they are controlling.
Maybe they are negative.
Maybe they are unreliable.
Maybe they always want attention.
Maybe they speak too harshly.
Do not pretend the behavior does not bother you.
Bring it honestly before God.
Psalm 139:23–24 (NIV) says:
“Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”
Ask God:
“Why does this person affect me so strongly?”
Sometimes God wants to change them.
Sometimes God wants to change something in us.
Sometimes he wants to do both.
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3. Ask God to Help You See Them Differently

Instead of asking only:
“Why are they like this?”
Try asking:
“God, what am I missing?”
Maybe the loud person has spent years feeling invisible.
Maybe the controlling person is deeply afraid of losing control.
Maybe the angry person is carrying pain they have never learned to express.
Maybe the person who constantly needs attention has rarely felt valued.
Again, this does not excuse sinful behavior.
But understanding can create compassion.
Ask God:
“Help me see this person the way you see them.”
That is like putting on spiritual “Jesus glasses.”
You begin looking beyond behavior and seeing a human being who needs grace.
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4. Do Something Loving

Do not stop at thinking differently.
Take action.
Send them a message.
Call them.
Encourage them.
Ask how they are doing.
Help with something practical.
Pray for them.
Ask:
“How can I pray for you this week?”
Jesus said:
Luke 6:27–28 (NIRV)
“Love your enemies. Do good to those who hate you. Bless those who call down curses on you. And pray for those who treat you badly.”
Notice the action words:
Love.
Do good.
Bless.
Pray.
Jesus does not tell us simply to feel differently.
He tells us to live differently.
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Remember How Jesus Loves You

We are all difficult sometimes.
We get irritated.
We become selfish.
We say things we should not say.
We make assumptions.
We lose patience.
We forget that other people need grace just as much as we do.
Yet Jesus continues to love us.
Romans 5:8 (NIV) says:
“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Jesus did not wait for us to become easy to love.
He loved us while we were still sinners.
That is why we can love difficult people.
Not because they always deserve it.
Not because we naturally feel like doing it.
But because we have received that kind of love ourselves.
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See the Heart, Not the Hurdle

The next time someone irritates you, disappoints you, or makes life difficult, remember:
There is more to that person than the behavior you are seeing.
There may be hurt you cannot see.
Fear you do not understand.
Disappointment you know nothing about.
A story you have never heard.
And there is something else you should remember.
Jesus loves them.
So before you write them off, ask God to change the way you see them.
Lord, help me see the person, not just the problem.
Help me see the heart, not just the hurdle.
Help me remember that every person around me is someone You created, someone You love, and someone who needs Your grace just like I do.
And then ask one final question:
“Jesus, whose feet are You asking me to wash today?” See less

09/06/2026

How To Manage My Emotions Part 2 - Full Lesson

“Do not conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” Romans 12:2 NIV

Main Idea: If I want my life to change, I cannot let my feelings lead me. I have to let God lead me.

Introduction

A lot of us do not realize how much our emotions steer our lives.

Review:
• God gave me emotions
• Emotions are real but not always right
• Either I manage my emotions or they manage me
• I have to name what I am feeling – tell God what I feel, pray my feelings

o Surface: Feel weird, off, mad
o Deeper: Hurt, angry, scared, embarrassed, lonely, rejected, grief, insecure

If I don’t know what I am feeling; I won’t know what to do with it.
I can’t tame what I won’t name; name it to tame it

1. Challenge What I Feel With Truth

This is where change really starts happening.
You do not just feel an emotion and immediately obey it.
You stop and question it.
Ask:
• Why am I feeling this?
• What triggered this?
• Is this actually true?
• Is this feeling helping me obey God or pulling me away from Him?
That matters because some emotions feel powerful but are still lying to you.

Psalm 26:2, New Living Translation:
“Put me on trial, Lord, and cross-examine me. Test my motives and my heart.”

David is basically saying, “God, show me what is really going on inside me.”

That is wisdom.
Sometimes what looks like anger is actually hurt.
Sometimes what looks like sadness is actually disappointment.
Sometimes what looks like confidence is actually pride.
Sometimes what looks like being "fine" is actually numbness.
We need God to expose what is really there.

John 8:31-32, New International Version:
“If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:31-32 NIV

Truth brings freedom because truth breaks the power of lies.

Illustration

Think about your phone battery when too many apps are running in the background.
Your phone starts slowing down, overheating, and dying faster than it should.

A lot of us live emotionally like that.
We have anger running in the background.
Fear running in the background.
Comparison running in the background.
Shame running in the background.
And we wonder why we are exhausted.
God's truth closes the lies that are draining your soul.

2. Let The Holy Spirit Lead My Emotions

This is the turning point.

What it really means to surrender your emotions to the Holy Spirit
• You acknowledge what you feel — honestly.
o The Spirit doesn’t work with what we pretend. He works with what we confess.
o If you’re angry, you name it. If you’re afraid, you admit it. If you’re overwhelmed, you bring it into the light.
• You invite the Spirit to interpret your emotions.
o Emotions are signals, not masters. The Holy Spirit helps you discern:
o Is this fear protecting me or limiting me?
o Is this anger righteous or fleshly?
o Is this sadness grief or hopelessness? He becomes the “translator” of your inner world.
• You let Him lead your response.
o This is the surrender part. You don’t let your emotions decide your next step — you let the Spirit decide.
o He may tell you to wait. He may tell you to speak. He may tell you to forgive. He may tell you to rest.
• You trust Him with the outcome.
o Surrender means you stop trying to control how things turn out.
o You obey, and you trust Him with the results.

A simple prayer you can use anytime

“Holy Spirit, I give You my emotions — not to erase them, but to lead them. Teach me what is true. Guide my response. Fill my heart with Your peace.”

And here’s the beautiful part
• Surrendering your emotions doesn’t make you less human — it makes you more Christlike.
• It’s how you stay steady in storms. It’s how you stay gentle when provoked.
• It’s how you stay hopeful when discouraged. It’s how you stay faithful when tired.
• This is spiritual maturity. This is transformation. This is setting the course for change.

Some emotions are too strong for you to handle on your own.
Fear can take over.
Anger can take over.
Anxiety can take over.
Shame can take over.
You need Someone stronger than your feelings.

Romans 8:6, Good News Translation:
“To be controlled by human nature results in death; to be controlled by the Spirit results in life and peace.”

Galatians 5:22-23, New International Version:
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.”

Self-control is not just willpower—it is evidence that the Holy Spirit is working in us.

Fruit is what naturally grows when a tree is healthy and connected to its source.

Think about a car. A powerful engine is good, but without brakes, that power can become dangerous.

Self-control is like the brakes on your life. It does not mean you have no emotions, desires, or impulses. It means those things do not get to drive the car.

Anger may say, “Say it!”
Self-control says, “Not everything I feel needs to come out of my mouth.”
Temptation may say, “Do it!”
Self-control says, “Just because I want it doesn’t mean it is good for me.”
Your emotions may say, “React right now!”
Self-control says, “I can feel this without letting this control me.”

The Holy Spirit does not only change what we feel; He helps change what we do with what we feel.

“The fruit of the Spirit is not the absence of strong feelings; it is the presence of spiritual control over those feelings.”

“My emotions can speak, but they don’t have to be in charge.”

Illustration

Think about a kite.
A kite only flies because it is held.
You would think the string restricts it, but actually the string is what keeps it in the air.
That is what the Holy Spirit does.
The world says freedom means doing whatever you feel.
But God shows us real freedom comes when His Spirit holds and guides us.

3. Jesus Understands What I Feel

This matters more than we think.

You are not bringing your emotions to a distant God who does not understand.
You are bringing them to Jesus.
Jesus felt grief.
Jesus felt sorrow.
Jesus felt deep distress.
Jesus felt compassion.
Jesus felt abandonment.
Jesus wept.

John 11:35, New International Version:
“Jesus wept.”

John 11:35 shows us that having strong emotions is not a sign of weak faith.
• Jesus knew Lazarus was going to be raised from the dead, yet He still wept.
• That means Jesus did not deny grief just because He knew the outcome.
• He allowed Himself to feel the pain of the moment.
Jesus shows us that emotions are meant to be felt, but not allowed to control us.
• He wept, but He did not lose faith. He grieved, but He did not lose direction.
• He felt sorrow, but He still obeyed the Father.

That gives us a powerful truth: surrendering our emotions to the Holy Spirit does not mean suppressing them. It means bringing them honestly to God and allowing Him to guide what we do with them.

“Jesus did not deny His emotions; He surrendered them without letting them derail Him.”

Feel it. Bring it to God. Then let the Holy Spirit lead you through it.

Jesus wept to show you how God responds to your pain.

He enters your pain. He feels with you. He weeps with you. He walks with you. He strengthens you. He leads you.

This is why surrender matters more than we think.

You’re not surrendering emotions to a judge. You’re surrendering them to a Savior who has cried your tears.

Hebrews 4:15, New Living Translation:
“This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin.”

Jesus understands your emotions, but He was never ruled by them.
That means He can teach you how to feel deeply without sinning.
He can teach you how to hurt without hardening your heart.
He can teach you how to cry without losing hope.
He can teach you how to feel pressure without giving in.

Illustration

When a little kid falls and scrapes their knee, they do not usually want a lecture first.

They want someone safe to run to.
That is prayer.
Prayer is not always polished.
Sometimes prayer is just:
“Jesus, I am angry.”
“Jesus, I feel left out.”
“Jesus, I am scared.”
“Jesus, I do not know what is wrong with me.”
“Jesus, help me.”

That kind of honesty is where healing begins.

4. Choose Obedience Over Impulse

This is what maturity looks like.

A child is ruled by impulse.
A mature believer is ruled by obedience.

Just because I feel something strongly does not mean I should act on it immediately.

Ephesians 4:26, New International Version:
“In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry.”

1 Peter 4:2, Good News Translation:
“From now on, then, you must live the rest of your earthly lives controlled by God's will and not by human desires.”

That means I do not let anger tell me what to say.
I do not let insecurity tell me who I am.
I do not let jealousy tell me how to treat people.
I do not let fear make all my decisions.
I let God decide the direction.

Illustration

A train can carry a massive load, but only when it stays on the tracks.

Emotions are powerful like that.
They can move a lot.
They can energize love, compassion, courage, and passion.

But when they leave the tracks of truth and obedience, they wreck things.

God does not want to destroy your emotions.
He wants to put them back on the right track.

---What this looks like as a Teenager

At school, managing your emotions means you do not freak out every time someone says something rude.

At home, it means you do not answer your parents with attitude just because you are annoyed.

With friends, it means you do not let jealousy turn into gossip.

On social media, it means you do not let comparison eat your confidence.

When you feel anxious, it means you bring that fear to God instead of letting it silently control you.

When you feel angry, it means you pause before you text, post, snap back, or say something you cannot take back.

When you feel sad, it means you remember sadness is a real feeling, but it does not get the final word over your life.

That is what it means to set the course for change.

Conclusion

If you do not set the course for change, your emotions will set it for you.

And that is dangerous because emotions change fast.
They rise and fall.
They can be intense.
They can feel final when they are not.
But God is steady.
God is true.
God is wise.
God is not confused, even when you are.

2 Timothy 1:7, New International Version:
“For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.”

So if you want to manage your emotions, here is the path:
• Understand that emotions are a gift from God.
• Admit that emotions are not always reliable.
• Name what you are really feeling.
• Challenge it with truth.
• Surrender it to the Holy Spirit.
• Choose obedience over impulse.
• Run to Jesus, who understands.

That is how God begins to change the direction of your life.

That is how you set the course for change.

That is how you learn how to manage your emotions.

Closing Prayer

God, thank You for making us with hearts that feel.
Thank You that our emotions are not accidents.
But also thank You that You never meant for our emotions to control us.
Teach us to bring every feeling to You.
Help us name what is really going on inside us.
Help us challenge lies with truth.
Fill us with Your Holy Spirit so we can live with self-control.
And when our emotions feel too heavy, remind us that Jesus understands.
Set the course of our lives toward real change.
In Jesus' name, amen.

09/06/2026

How To Manage My Emotions Part 1 - Full Lesson

Big Idea: If I want my life to change, I cannot let my feelings lead me. I have to let God lead me.

A lot of us do not realize how much our emotions steer our lives.
And the scary part is this: most of the time, we do not even notice that our emotions are driving.
That is why this message matters.

Emotions are real.
They matter.
God created them.
But they were never meant to control you.

Here are some common core emotions:
1. Joy — happiness, excitement, gratitude, contentment
2. Sadness — grief, disappointment, loneliness, hurt
3. Anger — frustration, irritation, resentment, rage
4. Fear — worry, anxiety, nervousness, dread
5. Surprise — shock, amazement, confusion
6. Disgust — dislike, rejection, revulsion
7. Love — affection, care, compassion, connection
8. Shame — embarrassment, humiliation, feeling unworthy
9. Guilt — regret or feeling responsible for doing something wrong
10. Hope — expectation, optimism, confidence that things can improve
11. Pride — satisfaction, confidence, accomplishment, or a sense of superiority; it can be healthy when tied to gratitude and achievement, or unhealthy when it becomes arrogance or self-centeredness.

1. God gave me emotions, so I should not ignore them

Some Christians act like feelings do not matter.
Other people act like feelings are all that matter.
Both are wrong.
God gave you emotions on purpose.
You are made in the image of God, and God is not cold or lifeless. God loves. God grieves. God rejoices. God feels compassion. That means emotions are not bad. They are part of being human.

The Bible says in Genesis 1:26, New Living Translation:
“Then God said, ‘Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us.’”

Part of being made in God's image means you were made with a heart that feels.
And Jesus makes it clear that God does not want some fake, half-awake relationship from us.

The Bible says in Mark 12:30, New International Version:
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.”

God is not asking you to become emotionless.
He is asking you to love Him with everything in you.

Pride is the quiet enemy that feels like a friend.
Pride grows in success, but it also grows in pain
In pain it whispers:
• “No one understands what you’re going through.”
• “You deserve better than this.”
• “You’re the only one carrying this burden.”
Lord, reveal anything in me that competes with You.

The Bible says in Romans 12:2, New International Version:
“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”

That verse tells us something huge: transformation starts with the mind.

Why? Because your mind helps direct your emotions. If your mind is filled with lies, your emotions will drag you all over the place. But if your mind is renewed by truth, your emotions begin to come under God's control.

Some signs that your mind may not be getting renewed the way Romans 12:2 describes are when old patterns keep controlling how you think, react, and make decisions.

For example, you may notice:
1. You keep thinking the same negative thoughts — “I’ll never change,” “Nothing good ever happens to me,” or “I’m not good enough.”
2. Your emotions control your decisions — anger, fear, pride, jealousy, or hurt determines what you do next.
3. You react before you pray or think — instead of slowing down and asking, “What would God want me to do?”
4. You keep repeating the same unhealthy habits even though you know they are hurting you.
5. You are easily offended and constantly replay what people said or did to you.
6. You compare yourself to other people and measure your worth by their success, possessions, appearance, or approval.
7. You justify things you once knew were wrong because they have become normal around you.
8. You hold onto bitterness and unforgiveness instead of allowing God to change your heart.
9. Pride makes correction difficult — when someone challenges you, your first reaction is to defend yourself instead of asking whether God might be showing you something.
10. Fear dominates your thinking — you constantly imagine the worst instead of trusting God.
11. Your thoughts are mostly shaped by culture rather than Scripture — social media, entertainment, friends, or popular opinions influence you more than God's Word.
12. There is very little change in your character — you may know more Bible verses, but you are not becoming more loving, patient, humble, forgiving, or self-controlled.

A simple way to understand Romans 12:2 is this:
An unrenewed mind keeps asking, “What do I feel like doing?”
A renewed mind begins asking, “What does God want me to do?”

That does not mean a renewed person never struggles. Renewal is a process. The evidence of renewal is not perfection; it is that your thinking is increasingly moving in a different direction.

You start catching thoughts you used to accept. You begin questioning reactions that once seemed normal. You forgive sooner. You repent faster. You become more aware of pride, anger, fear, and unhealthy thinking. You start replacing lies with truth.

Paul gives another helpful picture:
“Take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” — 2 Corinthians 10:5 (NIV)

So one powerful question to regularly ask yourself is:
“Is this thought helping me become more like Christ, or is this thought keeping me stuck in the person I used to be?”

Before God changes the direction of our lives, He often starts by changing the direction of our thoughts.

So if I want to manage my emotions, I have to let God set the course for change.

2. My emotions are real, but they are not always right

This is where a lot of us get in trouble.
We think, “If I feel it, it must be true.”
But that is just not true.

You can feel unwanted and still be deeply loved.
You can feel forgotten and still be seen by God.
You can feel hopeless and still have a future.
You can feel like nobody understands and still be held by Jesus.

Feelings are real, but they are not always reliable.

The Bible says in Proverbs 14:12, New International Version:
“There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death.”

And the Bible says in Jeremiah 17:9, New Living Translation:
“The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is?”

That means my heart can misread things.
My emotions can exaggerate.
My feelings can tell me stories that are not true.
One text gets ignored, and suddenly you feel like nobody likes you.
One bad grade happens, and suddenly you feel like a failure.
One awkward moment happens, and suddenly you want to hide from everyone.

That is what feelings do when they are not checked by truth.

Illustration
Think about riding in a car with a foggy windshield.
The road is still there.
The lines are still there.
The signs are still there.
But you cannot see clearly.
That is what unchecked emotions do.
They fog everything up.
You start reacting to what feels true instead of what actually is true.
That is why you cannot let feelings drive.
They do not see clearly enough.

3. Either I Manage My Emotions, Or They Will Manage Me

Nobody stays neutral.
If you do not lead your emotions under God, your emotions will lead you away from God.

That can happen through anger.
Through jealousy.
Through sadness.
Through fear.
Through insecurity.
Through shame.

And once emotions start controlling your choices, your whole life starts getting pushed around.

The Bible informs us in Proverbs 25:28, New Living Translation:
“A person without self-control is like a city with broken-down walls.”

That picture is intense.
A city without walls has no protection.
Anything can come in.
Anything can attack it.
Anything can take over.
That is what happens when a person has no control over their emotions.

Every insult gets in.
Every fear gets in.
Every temptation gets in.
Every mood gets in.
And that makes you easy to manipulate.

The Bible says in 1 Peter 5:8, New International Version:
“Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”

Satan loves emotional chaos.
He loves panic.
He loves bitterness.
He loves shame.
He loves it when your emotions are so loud that you cannot hear the voice of God.

If we do not live by 1 Peter 5:8, the danger is that we become spiritually careless and easier to influence, tempt, discourage, or deceive.

“Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” — 1 Peter 5:8 (NIV)
Here are some possible results:
1. We become spiritually distracted — We stop paying attention to what is happening in our hearts, thoughts, and choices.
2. We become easier to deceive — When we are not grounded in God’s truth, lies can begin to sound believable.
3. Temptation catches us unprepared — We may recognize danger only after we have already made a bad decision.
4. Our emotions begin controlling us — Anger, fear, pride, jealousy, hurt, or frustration can start making our decisions for us.
5. Small compromises become bigger problems — What begins as “just this once” can slowly become a habit or stronghold.
6. We become vulnerable when we are discouraged — The enemy can use disappointment, loneliness, failure, or rejection to make us question God’s goodness.
7. We may isolate ourselves — Like a lion separating an animal from the herd, spiritual attacks often become more dangerous when we disconnect from God and other believers.
8. We can lose our spiritual focus — Instead of pursuing what God has called us to do, we spend our energy fighting distractions, offenses, addictions, and unnecessary battles.
9. We can mistake the enemy’s voice for our own thoughts — Thoughts such as “You will never change,” “Nobody cares about you,” or “God has forgotten you” can begin to feel true when they are not challenged by Scripture.
10. We can become spiritually weak — Prayer decreases, Scripture becomes less important, worship becomes routine, and our desire for God can gradually fade.
11. We can be “devoured” without being destroyed physically — The enemy may devour our peace, joy, confidence, relationships, testimony, focus, and spiritual effectiveness.

The lion does not have to destroy you to defeat you. Sometimes he only has to distract you.
Peter’s warning is basically saying:
Stay awake. Pay attention. Guard your mind. Know what is trying to influence you.

If I’m Not Alert, I Can Be Attacked
You cannot stay on the right course if you are not paying attention to what is trying to pull you off course.

Illustration
Imagine a dog with no leash, no fence, and no training.
The dog may be strong and full of energy, but without control it runs into traffic, attacks the wrong thing, and creates damage.

That is what emotions are like when they are not surrendered to God.
They may be powerful, but power without control becomes dangerous.

4. I have to learn to name what I am feeling

One of the most important things you can do is get honest and specific.

A lot of us just say, “I feel weird.”
Or “I am off.”
Or “I am mad.”
But we never go deeper than that.
Sometimes you are not just mad.
Sometimes you are hurt.
Sometimes you are scared.
Sometimes you are embarrassed.
Sometimes you are lonely.
Sometimes you are grieving something you cannot explain.

If you do not know what you are feeling, you will not know what to do with it.

The Bible says in Psalm 55:2, New International Version:
“My thoughts trouble me and I am distraught.”

It sounds like somebody saying, “I know something is wrong inside me, but I am struggling to sort it out.”

A huge step toward growth is simply being able to say:
• “I am angry.”
• “I am afraid.”
• “I feel rejected.”
• “I feel insecure.”
• “I feel left out.”
• “I feel disappointed.”
• “I feel guilty.”
You cannot tame what you will not name.

Psalm 55:2 shows us that even faithful people can be overwhelmed by their own thoughts. A few simple applications are:
1. Tell God what is bothering you — Don’t hide your thoughts. Pray honestly about what is making you anxious, angry, afraid, or confused.
2. Name the thought that is troubling you — Ask yourself, “What exactly am I thinking about that has me upset?”
3. Don’t believe every thought automatically — A thought can feel real without being true. Compare it with what God says in Scripture.
4. Replace troubling thoughts with truth — Instead of repeatedly thinking, “Everything is falling apart,” remind yourself, “God is with me, and I am not facing this alone.”
5. Talk to someone you trust — Sometimes troubling thoughts become heavier when we carry them by ourselves.
6. Pray before you react — When your mind is troubled, avoid making major decisions based only on the emotion of the moment.
7. Give the burden back to God — Psalm 55:22 later says, “Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you.”
When my thoughts trouble me, I don’t have to let them control me. I can bring them to God, examine them, and replace them with truth.

Illustration
If a doctor asked, “What hurts?” and you just said, “Everything is bad,” that is not very helpful.
But if you can say, “Right here. This is where it hurts,” now healing can begin.

That is true emotionally too.
Vague feelings stay powerful.
Named feelings become easier to bring before God.

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820 S. Bliss
Dumas, TX
79029

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