Step of emotions into balance

Palm 42:5 and 11, NLT 

Why am I discouraged?

Why is my heart so sad?

I will put my hope in God!

I will praise Him again -

my Savior and my God!

The emotions of joy, sorrow, fear, and anger are familiar to all of us. You created us with these emotions, just as You, Lord Jesus, experienced them when You lived on earth as a human being. Today is the day between Good Friday and Easter, the days in which all these emotions surged through Your spirit, soul, and body.

Joy because of what lay before You — the resurrection. The deliverance of humanity from the power of evil and reconciliation with Your Father.

Sorrow over what evil has done and continues to do to the people You love so deeply. They did not know what they were doing, Lord, and even today many people still do not know what they are doing and completely miss the mark. They do not reach their purpose because they do not accept Your work of redemption and reconciliation. How heartbreaking that is.

Fear of what lay ahead of You, Lord Jesus — the suffering and death. The horrific torture and mockery. And all of that to bear the punishment we deserved. You went straight through that fear, Lord. Fear did not rule over You. You ruled over fear.

Anger from Your Father toward the power of evil — Satan and his demons — who have stolen, destroyed, and ruined. It had to come to an end, and it did. The power of sin in my life is broken because You reign in my spirit, soul, and body. Thank You, Father, for Your plan of redemption and reconciliation, and thank You, Lord Jesus, for walking the path the Father asked You to walk.

Not led by emotion or by what people did to You, but by Your own will and authority — the authority to lay down Your life and to take it up again, and the decision to walk the path the Father showed You.

Today I speak to my soul — the seat of my emotions. I thank You for giving me these emotions, Lord, and I make the decision to walk the path You have shown me, in the authority I have received from You. Not led by my emotions, but by Your Spirit, who uses my emotions to honor You with a joyful heart, to be moved with compassion for the lost around me, to endure the suffering we all face, and with a holy anger to stay far away from sin.

I speak to my restless soul:

“Put your hope in God!”