How do you feel? Believe it or not, that can be a really tricky question! So before you answer, I want you to think about it carefully. Right now, how do you feel in your heart and in your mind, not in your body? Has something happened today to make you feel the way you do right now? Maybe you are happy, excited, sad, confused, nervous, or even a mix of these things.
These feelings are called emotions, and guess what? We all have them! Your emotions are the way you feel and they change depending on what is happening around you. Emotions can make you want to act a certain way. For example, crying is one of the ways you can show your emotions. If you are feeling excited, you may want to smile and jump! But if you are feeling angry you may want to yell and scream.
You do not have to be embarrassed by your emotions, but you do have to be careful with them. The way that you feel is important, but you cannot let emotions or your feelings control your behavior or how you act. You can really be sad because you failed a test or because someone said something mean to you. But you cannot let your sad feelings make you do something that God would not want you to do!
Feelings do not always lead you where God wants you. They aren’t always true. Yep, they can lie to you! They can also change from situation to situation and are unpredictable.
Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” No matter what you may be feeling, trust God! Being sad, mad, or glad are real feelings. You will have bad ones. You will have happy ones. But no matter what your emotions and feelings are today, ask God to help you make good decisions and have good thoughts.
Dear God, thank You for my emotions and my feelings. Thank You that I can feel happy, glad, and even silly. When I’m sad or mad or have feelings that could be hurtful, help me think about You. In Jesus’s name, amen.