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“Emotion is a great servant but a terrible master.”

A thought by Mark Batterson from his book, Whisper: How to Hear the Voice of God (p. 88). The Crown Publishing Group. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.)

Have you found that true?  Your emotions can really be of great help in so many different ways but they can also really bring great harm when they are out of control.

Mark says, “Generally speaking, don’t make decisions when you’re in an emotional frenzy or funk. That’s how you get tattoos in the wrong places. That’s when you say things and do things you’ll regret. And that’s where the ninth fruit of the Spirit is so critical. (See Galatians 5:22-23) Actually, I think self-control is listed last because it takes the longest to cultivate. As the emotional gatekeeper, it keeps the other emotions in check.”

He goes on, “When Abraham Lincoln was upset with someone, he had a habit of composing what he called a ‘hot letter.’ It was a cathartic exercise, putting all his anger and frustration on paper. Then after his emotions had cooled down, he would write ‘Never sent. Never signed.’ In psychology that’s called a pattern interrupt. It’s the difference between reacting and responding. And it’s not a bad way of putting James 1:19 into practice: ‘Be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.’”

Did you need that today?
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