I fall asleep in peace the moment I lie down
because you alone, O Lord, enable me to live securely.
Psalm 4:8
Some things you don’t have to pray about: your moods, for example. Bad moods don’t need to be prayed away—they need to be kicked out! Your mood comes from your way of thinking about the stuff in your life. The more you listen to your flesh and feelings, the easier it is to miss the truth of Scripture. But the more you flat-out refuse to let the world around you decide your moods, the freer you become.
Growing into the God Girl you were meant to be means step-by-step, day-by-day grabbing your bad moods by the scruff of the neck and tossing them out the door. When you start to make the Holy Spirit’s thoughts your own, when you study his Word and find out what pleases him, and when you want what he wants, then controlling your emotions gets easier and easier. You start to recognize your bad moods quicker, and sometimes you just refuse to let them live. Your bad moods don’t have to control you, but you can control them. Think about what your mood is railing about: is it your problem, your environment, or something someone said or did? Is it reacting to what God said? Does it care more about people or God? If it’s caring more about the creation than the Creator, it’s up to no good. Bad moods don’t have to plague the God Girl because her mood is based not on her changing circumstances but on a God who never changes. Having a bad day? Think about how you can be happy in the trial God has set out for you. Having a hard time? Think how perseverance can change your life.
As you grow from a God Girl into a woman, you’ll get better at refusing to listen to your moods and instead choosing to listen to God. Each time you do you’ll build your strength, character, and faith.