Meltdowns are often associated with small children — but it can be just as tempting for women to take the bait of giving into the tidal wave of emotion and the coddling voice of self-pity. What freedom and peace comes when we learn to bring our emotions under the control of Christ’s Spirit rather than letting feelings dictate our actions and attitudes! If you’re looking for a way to gain victory over emotional roller coaster rides, join Leslie as she shares how to tap into the enabling grace of God to reflect Christ in all that we do — no matter how we feel in the moment.
PODCAST TRANSCRIPT
When emotions take over and begin to control our actions, thoughts, and words, it doesn’t matter how old or mature we may be, we are having a meltdown. As women, we often justify giving into the pull of our emotions in a situation because we are female, a frazzled mom, a busy wife, or an overloaded college student, but the reality is that one of the fruit of the Spirit is self-control. This implies that we have a choice of whether or not we will allow the Spirit’s control to harness our swirling emotions or allow our emotions to roll overtop us like a wave of the sea.
A quick “fix-it” approach to self-control is to exert our own willpower, but there is only so much that we are able to accomplish or abstain from without the grace of God empowering us to do what we could never do in our own strength. Instead of consulting with your emotions or drawing from the limited reservoir of your own willpower, begin to confer with the Voice of Truth in your stressful moments. Instead of asking the question, “How do I feel about this?” begin asking a new question, “What does God say about this?”
No matter what trial we may be facing, the reality is that God’s Truth is unchanging, His grace is sufficient for us, and His strength is made perfect in our weakness. Meditate on His promises, recall His Word to mind, and lean upon His grace to walk forward in true, long-lasting victory. As we faithfully surrender our emotions to His control, we will be better able to see the faithfulness of God in our life circumstances.
HOW TO OVERCOME MELTDOWNS:
1. Believe God’s Word: Refrain from reasoning through the Word of God based on emotion or on what you feel like reading. Instead, be faithful to allow the Word to speak directly into your life — no matter how you may feel about it.
2. Reject Self-Pity: No matter how unique or difficult our circumstances may seem, there is no situation that the power of the Cross cannot transform, no wound that His blood cannot heal, and no situation where the joy of the Lord cannot be our strength. In fact, the more extreme the circumstances, the more God will extremely show His grace towards us to walk through the situation in triumph.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Walking in victory doesn’t mean that you won’t deal with difficult emotions, it just means you don’t stay in that place of defeat or despair. Take your cares to the feet of Jesus and allow Him to infuse you with strength.
KEY SCRIPTURES
- Romans 2:21
- Isaiah 54:17
RECOMMENDED RESOURCES
For more encouragement, visit us at SetApartGirl.com. It’s one of our favorite places to serve you with fresh, Christ-focused content to cheer you down the narrow way of the Cross.