Ruling over dark emotions

The Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it.” Genesis 4:6-7

Do you often have emotions and feelings that are ‘contrary’ to your well being and God’s favor? Do those emotions and feelings lead you into sin? Have you ever learned how to ‘rule over’ them? Do you seek out the Holy Spirit’s advice when those ‘dark’ emotions and feelings are trying to gain a foothold within you? Can you accept the truth about what the Holy Spirit is pointing out to you that needs changing in your life and character? This is the key battle we often face everyday.  How much do we accept is ‘ours’ when it was brought by ‘another’? How much do we claim ownership of things that were never ours in the first place? These emotions and feelings very well may be just ‘soul senses’ activating from the spiritual atmosphere you are encountering. When we accept them into ourselves and claim them as our own we then set out to figure out why we are feeling so ‘terrible’. If we experience ‘cold’ do we then accept that there is nothing we can do about it, or do we go get warmth? Will we then forever think we are to be always cold? So many emotions and feelings are just soul senses that need to be ‘ruled over’. Can you find the Source of healthy emotions like love, joy, peace, and contentedness? Have you learned to listen to His instruction? Can you discern His Voice within you?

In the realm of the spiritual and soul – where is our Source? Whom should we seek out when wrestling with soul issues? Who knows us better than we know ourselves? How do we deal with the spiritual atmospheres we are encountering that are causing us to ‘feel’ crappy? Emotions and feelings can be very powerful things … but … your will and choices should supersede those emotions and feelings. Who rules in your own person, your spirit, or your emotions and feelings, or your bodily cravings? The authority structure of our person should align as spirit, soul, and body, not body, soul, and then spirit.

When crisis comes to you — who makes the decisions on what you will do? Your feelings? Your emotions? Or do you seek Him for advice on the decisions you should make in that moment? Do you seek Him on the way you should go?

These questions reveal our past actions and how we’ve done in making the right decisions at that time. I’m SO glad His mercies are new every morning. 

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;

    his mercies never come to an end; 

they are new every morning;

    great is your faithfulness. 

“The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,

    “therefore I will hope in him.” Lamentations 3:22-24

Do you encourage your own soul? Do you tell your soul to rejoice in Him? Do you seek out His paths?

Thus says the Lord:

“Stand by the roads, and look,

    and ask for the ancient paths,

where the good way is; and walk in it,

    and find rest for your souls. Jeremiah 6:16

Seek Him out when encountering and overcome with troubling emotions and feelings. Listen to His Voice of comfort and promise. Listen for His direction and instruction. Listen for His advice on what decisions to make. 

The Spirit of God wants to be your MAIN Source of wisdom and direction. He wants to help you know which way to go. He wants you to agree with His instruction. 

But the choice is yours. Which way will you go? Who will you listen to?