God does not act as man acts. His actions are always consistent with His wisdom, His will, and His character. We, however, sometimes allow our emotions to determine how we act rather than allowing God’s will to guide our response. Isaiah puts it this way in Isaiah 55:8–9: “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways,” declares the Lord. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.” (NKJV)
If God’s ways are higher than our ways, how can we learn to respond as He would have us respond? We must learn His will. That means studying His Word and beginning that study while we are young. On that point, let’s see what Solomon has to say: “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.” (Proverbs 22:6, NKJV)
This verse emphasizes the importance of early guidance in our lives. What we learn while we are young can help shape how we respond to the situations and emotions we encounter. Now that school has begun, do you rule your emotions, or do your emotions rule you?
Solomon put it this way in Proverbs 29:11: “A fool gives full vent to his spirit, but a wise man quietly holds it back.” He also wrote, “A hot-tempered man stirs up strife, but he who is slow to anger quiets contention.” (Proverbs 15:18, ESV)
What do you do with your emotions? When you’re angry, hurt, embarrassed, jealous, or frustrated, do those feelings control what you say and do? Or do you control your response in a way that pleases God?
In Galatians 5, Paul describes the struggle between the desires of the flesh and walking by the Spirit: “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh…. Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions…” (Galatians 5:16–20, ESV).
Here is the struggle. The desires of the flesh pull us toward satisfying ourselves—even when that leads to sin. But Christians are called to “walk by the Spirit.” That means we cannot simply say, “That’s how I felt,” as though our emotions excuse our actions. We must learn to control our response rather than allowing our feelings to lead us into the works of the flesh.
Paul then gives us the contrast: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control…” (Galatians 5:22–23, ESV).
Emotional intelligence may teach us that controlling our response to emotions is important. Scripture takes us further: self-control is part of the fruit of the Spirit.
