Should We Control Our Emotions?

Whoever is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit then he who takes a city. Proverbs 16:32 (ESV)

Although experiencing emotion is healthy, we can all think of times when keeping them in check would have been a better choice. Saying something hurtful in the heat of an argument or making an impulse purchase are two good examples.

Some forms of psychology would argue that we shouldn’t try to control our emotions because trying to stuff down our feelings results in dysfunction. I understand that bottling up emotions is unhealthy, but we don’t have to become victims of them either. We can learn to manage our emotions in a healthy way.

Over the next two days we’ll be discussing healthy ways to handle emotions. Before we begin, let’s get something out of the way.

You are not a victim to your emotions. God created the range of emotions to be a beautiful part of the human experience, and we should feel free to experience the entire spectrum. Sometimes we’ll go through seasons of grief or anger and that’s okay. However, if you believe you have no control over what you do when you’re emotional, you’ll stop filtering your actions. Instead, you develop a list of excuses: “I can’t help that I have a temper,” or “They deserved it!” The truth is, we all choose our actions. Emotions can make us feel like saying or doing certain things, but it is always in our power to make a better choice.

Work on handling your emotions in a healthier way. Don’t stuff them down, hoping they’ll go away. Instead, express them in a way that builds a relationship, increases trust and is worthy of respect.