“The problem most of us face is that we just act on our emotions.”

A thought by Craig Groeschel (2013-10-22) from his book, Fight: Winning the Battles That Matter (Kindle Locations 713-714). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. (Click on the title of the book to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.)

And our emotions can be so powerful can’t they? I mean, do you know what they said to me? And our emotions carry us to do what we know isn’t what we really should do.

Craig says, “While being emotion-driven often leads us to do the ungodly thing, being Spirit-led never does. If you truly want to do what’s right, letting your emotions take over will rarely get you the outcome you want.” And we know that is the truth.

He talks about how this plays out at home, “Maybe you slip up and say something stupid, something you didn’t even mean to say. You know you should apologize, but you figure, ‘Man, if I open that door, there’s no telling what all might come spilling out.’ Or you’re caught up in your spirit of entitlement — ‘I shouldn’t be the one to apologize; she’s the one who got mad’ — so you let your pride keep you from doing what you know in your heart is right. That’s being emotion-driven, not Spirit-led.”

Again in this book he is talking to men, “Yes, I’m convinced God made us men to be warriors — all the more reason we must be led by his Spirit. We need to know what, when, where, and how to fight. We need to fight for what’s right. That’s why we can’t trust our emotions to guide us. It’s like deciding to shoot first while blindfolded. You’re reacting while you can’t even see your target to aim properly.”

He then asks, “Why do we give in to the instincts that create the results we despise? Because we let ourselves be emotion-driven, not Spirit-led.”

Paul in his letter to the Galatians in 5: 16 – 17, offers a solution to the struggle: “Live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want” (NIV 1984).

Craig then says, “Being led by the Spirit is a choice we make. We allow God’s Spirit to lead, and then we go where he directs us.”

So what/who is leading you?

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