More Like Him - Monday
Today’s Verse
Proverbs 29:11
Fools vent their anger, but the wise quietly hold it back. (NLT)
I have a friend who is highly self-aware. That is, he knows himself very well and would describe himself as a thinker. Suggesting that he might be a feeler would be perceived by him more as an accusation—or an insult! I give him a hard time about all of this, by the way! He would describe me as a feeler, and he wouldn’t be wrong. My friend and I react differently to situations. His first reaction is to observe and let his thinking inform what’s happening. Mine is to observe and let my emotions inform what is happening. As is the case with most things, using a balance of both thought and feeling is the better way to respond. But one thing I’ve noticed about my friend as he’s aged is his tendency to cry more than he used to. He would acknowledge that fact. And as I’ve grown older, I’ve found that I don’t always let my emotions solely define what’s happening the way I used to.
The reason God gave us emotions is to help us connect with experiences and people in a way that thinking alone never could. But there’s something about emotions that we need to be aware of and admit. And this is a lesson I wish I had learned much sooner. We can become addicted to our emotions. If we’re not careful and growing in this area, we can actually crave the urge to re-engage our emotions. Strong emotional reactions can provide a false sense of control. There have been times when my emotional reaction to a situation became more of an issue than the situation itself. That happens when emotions are left unrestrained. It took years of input from trusted friends and processing in settings with others who shared my struggle to finally understand the right place for my emotions.
Today’s verse is a good and honest reminder that it will take some wisdom for us to harness our feelings.
REFLECTION
Would you describe yourself as a thinker or a feeler? Would you say there’s a healthy balance of both in your life? God has given you both a mind for thinking and a heart for feeling. Notice today how you might use both.
