"You don't get to choose who Riley is, you need to let her go" was one of the pivotal lines in the movie Inside Out 2, as Joy was trying to disentangle the emotional frenzy Anxiety created inside Riley's head. As soon as Anxiety settled down and realized what Joy was trying to communicate, a bulb lit up in me like an "Aha!" moment. The point of the movie was to help us understand that our emotions do not and should not control who we are. Moreover, our thoughts have a significant influence on how we behave, and how we behave eventually forms a habit of which we become.
God has gifted us with different emotions and we as human beings are able to process those in our minds. Each in healthy balance, aims to help us fulfill our original design. For instance, we are commanded to rejoice (be joyful, be glad, delight) in the Lord. Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; (Philippians 4:4-5). Joy is a beautiful thing and though everyone desires it, if we are looking at the wrong places, genuine deep joy (one that is present even in persecution, loss, or lack) is going to be an impossible thing to find.
Sadness may seem negative in itself, but when we use it to feel empathy and compassion toward others, it gives us the heart to act. The shortest verse in the bible is proof that even our Savior felt sorrow and grief. Upon hearing that Lazarus died, He came to Bethany where He met with his(Lazarus) sisters Mary and Martha. Now when Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet, saying to him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled. And he said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to him, “Lord, come and see.” Jesus wept (John 11:32–35). Jesus' compassion led one thing to another and brought Lazarus to life. This is ultimately to the glory of God.
Now, what should we do in order for us to control our emotions and use them to glorify God? Because it begins in the mind, we have to be aware of our mental habits, the structure on which we form our thoughts, and what we feed our minds that has a direct impact on our emotions and behaviors.
Take every thought captive
2 Corinthians 10: 3-6
For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. 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.
Identifying thoughts that will center our hearts on God and dwelling on them helps us mentally declutter those that are non-noble. When we carefully scrutinize how we think, we can discover negative things that have been living in our head, rent-free, that have been impacting our life - unresolved conflicts, identity crises, fits of anger, unforgiveness, impurity, pride, to name a few. Taking every thought captive to obey Christ exposes the loads that weigh us down and brings them to light. Jesus can free us from those that can harm us. He is our shield, even for our thoughts. Our way of thinking is not beyond our control. As we fill our hearts and minds with the word of God, we develop a frame of thought that is full of Jesus and His promises.
Keep in Step with the Holy Spirit
Galatians 5:16-24
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, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
Paul drew the line that set a distinction between the products of human flesh and the Spirit of God. The flesh is centered towards gratification of one's desires no matter the means and outcomes. On the other hand, those who are in Christ, have the Spirit which bears all the good fruit that is not in conformity with the flesh. The Holy Spirit is the third Person in the Trinity Whom Jesus promised to send before He ascended to heaven. He is our advocate, helper, and guide. His ways conform us to the will of God. In order to equip our minds against temptations, we have to be filled with the Holy Spirit through prayer and unceasing devotion to the Word of God.
Remember who you are in Christ
2 Corinthians 5:16-19
From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.
Yes, sometime ago, we were apart from God, separated by our sins, without hope. But now that we know Jesus' love made a way for us to be reconciled with our Heavenly Father, and we accepted with faith the grace that has set us free from the bondage of sin, we can lift our heads, not in pride, but in confidence that God is working in us, sanctifying and purifying our body, soul, mind, and spirit and soon we will see the finished work of God in us. We have the power and freedom to choose the right thing as we have been called to be holy, for our God is Holy. We are not to dwell on the tricks of the evil one who plays games with our minds trying to draw us back to our old selves. The cross is the reminder of our present standing with God accomplished only by the blood of Christ, not of our own good works. Let the love of God transform your mind from the inside so that Christ can shine on the outside.
Scripture
Philippians 4:8–9
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.
Challenge
How can you cultivate thoughts that are pure and worthy of praise?
What steps can you take to keep your mind focused on Christ?
In grace & mercy
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