An unruly heart

The intensity of my reaction took me by surprise. There on my PC screen I saw the picture of an old foe. My breathing quickened. My stomach churned with nausea. Perspiration formed on my forehead and my muscles tensed. All this swirl of emotions set off by a picture! No, really it was the memory of the year spent in battle after battle! Doctors call what I experienced the primitive “fight or flight” response. One physician describes it this way: “Sequences of nerve cell firing occur and chemicals like adrenaline, noradrenaline and cortisol are released into our bloodstream. … this causes our body to undergo a series of very dramatic changes. Our respiratory rate increases. Blood is shunted away from our digestive tract and directed into our muscles and limbs, which require extra energy and fuel for running and fighting. … Our sight sharpens. Our impulses quicken. Our perception of pain diminishes. Our immune system mobilizes with increased activation. We become prepared—physically and psychologically—for fight or flight.” – Neil F. Neimark, M.D.

Just as quickly as I felt the emotional response, my mind, which is informed by God’s will and wisdom, kicked in to assert itself! I experienced an internal dialogue that takes longer to read than it took to actually process. Reason took charge of my unruly heart as I thought: “There is no threat here. This person is no longer a problem, can no longer hurt you. You have already dealt with this with forgiveness.” My mind stabilized more quickly than my body which took several minutes to relax!

Do you realize that you are ‘in charge’ of your emotions, impulses, appetites, and desires? The wisdom of the Word reminds us that "He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city." (Proverbs 16:32, NKJV) Over and over, Paul calls on disciples of Jesus Christ to exercise self-control. In one passage packed with meaning, he speaks with Spirit conviction. "You are all sons of the light and sons of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night. But since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet. For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ." (1 Thessalonians 5:5-9, NIV) We must not live in a sleepy state in which our emotions run riot in our lives! We live in the full light of day, fully aware of what’s going on inside of us, around us in this world, and even aware of the spiritual forces that seek our destruction. This allows us to live in self-control, with our hearts protected by love and faith, and our thoughts guided by the promise of our eternal home with God!

Don’t give yourself an excuse when temptations or emotional passions arise, even when they shake you like a ragdoll, like that anger shook me last night. You’re in charge of your emotions, your responses. Peter says, “make every effort!” Yes, he says this against the backdrop of this reminder of our source of power to overcome- "By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life.” (2 Peter 1:3, NLT) Emotions enrich our lives but if we let them lead us, only disaster will follow.

Are you living a life of self-control, pursuing excellence of character, so that your words and actions will consistently turn the attention of people around you to God and His goodness? Here is a word from the Word. Own it and live it today. Take charge of your unruly heart.

"His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. … you … participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. … make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love.
For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ." (2 Peter 1:3-9, NIV)
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Be still, my soul;
The Lord is on thy side.
Bear patiently the cross
Of grief or pain;
Leave to thy God
To order and provide.
In ev'ry change
He faithful will remain.
Be still, my soul;
Thy best, Thy heavenly Friend
Thro' thorny ways
Leads to a joyful end.

Be still, my soul;
Thy God doth undertake
To guide the future
As He has the past.
Thy hope, Thy confidence
Let nothing shake;
All now mysterious
Shall be bright at last.
Be still, my soul;
The waves and winds still know
His voice who ruled them
While He dwelt below.


Be Still My Soul

Von Schlegal, Katharina / Borthwick, Jane L. / Sibelius, Jean
© Public Domain