When we used to drive across the country, sometimes we’d enjoy a good radio program until static from another channel inconveniently interrupted it. We’d fiddle with the dial to regain clear reception. But if we’d driven out of range, we lost connection.
That can happen to our emotions too. We can be coasting along, feeling peaceful when something happens to disrupt our peace and joy.
What do we do when emotional static disrupts our peace? How can we regain perspective when our feelings seem to have taken over? Understanding how God made us can help.
Fearfully and Wonderfully Made
Years ago, a biblical counseling class explained that God created us humans with a body, soul, and spirit.
Body: The body is the physical part of us through which we interact with the physical world. We see, hear, taste, smell, touch, and move through the world in our physical bodies.
Spirit: We connect with God through our spirits. We worship the Lord in spirit and in truth (John 4:24). When we place our faith in Jesus and are born into God’s family, we become spiritually alive to God. Before this time, the Bible describes us as being spiritually dead and separated from God.
Soul: The soul (psyche) is the personality through which we relate to others. It includes our mind, will, and emotions. Modern science shows that our thoughts impact us physically and emotionally. For example, lie detectors work by measuring the physiological responses associated with a person’s thoughts.
The Bible emphasizes the importance of our thought life (2 Cor. 10:5; Rom. 8:6; Col. 3:2). The Bible says to be transformed by the renewing of our minds (Rom. 12:2).
Setting our thoughts on the right channel eventually moves the dial on our emotions. As we bring our thoughts into alignment with God’s truth, our emotions can begin to follow. You might think of this as adjusting your antenna for clearer reception from the Spirit of truth.
Examples to Follow
The Psalms and Lamentations provide wonderful examples of this. When godly men poured out their pain to God and recalled God’s character, their emotions changed. Hope returned.
These men didn’t ignore their emotions or pretend everything was fine. They brought their honest feelings to God and allowed His truth to reshape their perspective.
This is the idea behind an acronym I developed called REAP. It can serve as a tool to help you process your emotions with the Lord. I’ve used it many times to gain God’s perspective on something that was bothering me. I’ve also used it to help others gain perspective on their messy emotions and hurts.
REAP
R — Recognize your messy emotions
E — Express them to God. I recommend journaling them.
A — Ask the Holy Spirit for the truth about God, the situation, the other person, and yourself.
P — Practice the story God shows you. Truth transforms us when we put it into practice.
I invite you to REAP some small irritation with the Lord. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you apply biblical truth to your thinking. Then write out how you would think, feel, and act if you truly believed what God said is true for you.
For example, if someone’s words hurt you, Recognize what you’re feeling. Express those feelings honestly to God. Ask Him what is true about you, the other person, and the situation. Then practice that truth in your thinking and responses.
Transformation takes time. Keep telling yourself the truth even if your emotions are slow to catch up. The more we surrender ourselves to God, the more room the Holy Spirit has to fill us with His love, joy, and peace.
You might wonder, “Am I being hypocritical when I choose to live according to God’s truth if I don’t feel differently yet?”
A hypocrite is one who wears a mask. Choosing to live according to God’s truth isn’t hypocrisy, even when our feelings haven’t caught up with what we believe.
We don’t deny our feelings. We bring them honestly to God and allow His truth to reshape the way we think, feel, and respond. Feelings change. God’s truth doesn’t.
When emotional static interrupts your peace, REAP the emotion with God. Recognize it. Express it. Ask for His truth. Practice what He shows you.
And sometimes, emotional static points to a deeper hurt. In Big Hurt, Bigger God: Finding Freedom Through Biblical Forgiveness, I share what I’ve learned about bringing our deepest wounds to the God who is bigger than our pain.
Your hurt may be big. But your God is bigger.
When emotional “static” disrupts your peace, what can you do? A simple tool—REAP—can help you recognize, express, ask, and practice God’s truth when difficult emotions take over. #ChristianLiving #Emotions Share on XCelebrating a Big God,
Sometimes I link to these great sites:
#MondayLinkUp, #Let’sHaveCoffee, #SweetTea&Friends
Thank you so much for this clear, concise, and honest blog post on emotional static. I find the REAP acronym helpful in seeking grace and truth. If I don’t use it, I could easily get in trouble. Thank you also for listing the related articles.
Yvonne Ortega
Thank you, Yvonne. I’ve used this outline many times to renew my mind and settle my emotions.
I love this Debbie!!
Thank you, Ann!
Good word Ms. Debbie. I’ll remember REAP, as reaping is a result of what we sow. Or as I often put it, “You get what you give.”
Spoken with the wisdom of a farmer!
Debbie,
I love acronyms! Thank you!
What a wonderful message that demonstrates how the truth brings freedom!
May you be blessed in all your reaping as you have blessed so many others!
Kay Holland
Thank you, Kay! I appreciate your encouragement.
I appreciate the REAP strategy that you have shared. It’s hard to deal with those negative emotions and painful experiences–we can’t do it alone. We need our loving Lord to guide us through those hardships and trials. Thank you for sharing this helpful and encouraging message.
Sometimes we’d rather avoid facing them, but that doesn’t heal them. Thanks so much for reading.
Love you REAP acronym!
Thanks, Barbara. I find it helpful.
I especially like the point that it is not hypocrisy to act according to what’s right even when we don’t feel it. Sometimes the feelings will come when we apply God’s truth.
I agree, many times the feelings won’t budge until we do. Thanks, Barbara.
Wonderful message Debbie. That’s a great analogy to the radio static, it will help me remember the lesson. Thanks for sharing this message
Thanks, Yvonne. Have a great weekend.
I love your way of expressing Philippians 4:8, Debbie– setting our thoughts on the right channel! I found it so difficult to do during one particular year of ongoing stress. But I kept turning my mind again and again to praise, when my emotions wanted to stew and stew! God taught me much about perseverance during those months, and the power of praise to keep bitterness at bay. (In all honesty, some days I took two steps forward, one step back!)
I’m so glad you mentioned Phil. 4:8. I believe that sums up the P in REAP!