Thoughts >>> emotions

In preparing to teach today class, I noticed a detail from Scripture that was not a surprise in itself, but a surprise that it was so obvious.

The topic for today is how sin permeates every part of us and the Holy Spirit works to change us in every part. While I’m using concentric circles to illustrate spirit, soul and body, they are not cleanly separated. What I do with my body affects my spirit. How I think affects my emotions. Worship on the inside can be seen on my face, and so on.

The detail that I noticed (in several places) is how my emotions are the by-product of what I believe. For instance, if someone told me one of my children had been in a car accident and I believed that person, I would be anxious, upset, and in emotional turmoil. It would not matter if the report was true or not, only if I believed it.

On a lighter note, our home NHL team got a tying goal in the last few seconds of a hockey game on Friday night. For about two seconds I was cheering. Then an official called it invalid because he thought he saw a glove pass. My emotions crashed. Later, that official admitted he made a bad call. There was no glove pass, but hockey rules say the call must stand. So the goal was real, but not allowed. I believed there was a goal. It really did happen, but it might as well did not happen. Like other fans, my emotions didn’t know what to do with the facts. I could understand why some of them threw things!

Positive emotions indicate good thoughts. Negative emotions are a bit like pain; they signal me that whatever is going on in my mind needs some adjusting. I’ve noticed that I’m often sad when I pray, but realize this morning that I have not been listening to that signal. Today’s verse tells me to pay attention. It is from Hebrews 11. “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”

I believe in the existence of God. This gives me great comfort, a sense of being anchored, and so much more. However, I often doubt that He is going to reward my prayers, partly because I’ve been praying some of them for years without seeing any progress.

But this verse says diligently seek and believe that He will eventually reward me. It doesn’t say that the reward will be a ‘yes’ answer, just a reward, perhaps a closer walk with Him or greater insight into His will. I’ve been thinking the only possible reward has to be that He does what I ask, and since He is not, why enjoy praying or even bother? That kind of thinking affects not only my prayers but my emotions. Instead of coming to Him with joyful confidence, I feel like the pest who has no hope, but can’t quit because there is no one else to pester.

This ‘stinkin’ thinkin’ needs adjusting. It says seek Him and He will reward me. I need to quit telling Him what the reward should be. He is God. He knows what is best for me.

Duh.