You know my reproach,
and my shame and my dishonor;
my foes are all known to you.
Reproaches have broken my heart,
so that I am in despair. Psalms 69:19-20
What exactly triggers emotions and feelings? Where do they come from and where do they go? I’ve been pondering the spirit and soul of the human creation. The Holy Spirit has brought me such a different perspective on them that I am faced with dilemma of having to reject much of what I thought I knew about them. I don’t want to cast away that which is correct, but I also don’t want to hold on to that which is not. So, I ponder and ask questions of the Holy Spirit.
I’ve been pondering this question: Are emotions actually the senses of the soul? We can get ‘feelings’ from our bodily senses, and it seems we can get feelings from our emotional ‘state’ or ‘senses’. What if our emotions are just our soul interacting with frequencies and things that surround us but are currently invisible to our bodily senses? That would make them something we don’t have to ‘own’ but are just experiencing in the moment. Do we ‘own’ what we see, hear, smell, touch, and taste? Or are we just experiencing them. What do I mean by ‘own’? Something that is ‘ours’. So do I have to accept everything I experience with my bodily senses? Can my senses be deceived? How am I to know if what I am experiencing is correct? For the plethora of entrances into our minds we are advised by Paul to… “take every thought captive to obey Christ”.
For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete. 2 Corinthians 10:4-6
Would that same principle apply to our emotions? When you are emotional do you ask the Spirit of God why you are feeling that emotion? Is it from the situation right in front of me – that I haven’t really processed yet? Is it from the current atmosphere surrounding me? Is it from something or someone else that I am near? Do I have to hold on to that emotion or can I let it go? How do I let go of emotions? Why are some good and why are some bad? Why do negative emotions tend to stay longer? What is it in me that wants to ‘own’ and keep certain emotions? Are the roots of pride, fear, and lust within me somehow pulling on those negative emotions? There may be so many things that my soul is being affected by – that I am unaware of, yet I think that they are always be generated by something within me rather than by an external source. Lately I’ve been asking the Holy Spirit if my emotions and feelings are produced by an internal issue in me or if they are being generated by external forces, frequencies, and atmospheres my soul is encountering.
David was known for going to God when his soul was in need.
To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.
O my God, in you I trust;
let me not be put to shame;
let not my enemies exult over me.
Indeed, none who wait for you shall be put to shame;
they shall be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous. Psalms 25
When you’re experiencing difficult emotions who do you turn to? Have you ever considered asking the Holy Spirit as to what you should do in that situation?
I’m beginning to see the soul as the part of me that interacts with much of God’s creation – and I have yet to understand completely how or why – but I’m now at least asking Him. I now believe our soul interacts with much of the dimensions / realms that exist beyond our physical senses yet are all around us. How should I navigate my emotions then if most of them are generated by external things? Do I readily accept them or do I manage them by my spirit and choose to not give them ‘place’ within my ‘heart’ but ask for His advice and counsel on what to do?
I’m beginning to see the power of our spirit IF we are anchored / tethered to the Holy Spirit that dwells within us.
The spirit side of us seems to be even more mysterious and unknown – yet there is plenty of scripture to dive and dig into.
Can we really have ‘self-control’ without the Holy Spirit? What exactly does Paul mean when he includes ‘self-control’ in the fruit of the Spirit? (Galatians 5:23) Without the Holy Spirit are we like a leaf on the sea being tossed and thrown by its forces, or like a feather in the wind? What do you think your ‘anchor’ is? How do you rely on that anchor?