Tuesday, November 1, 2016

We Need Spirit-led Emotions.


'They must not only rid themselves of whatever they know to be harmful but also yield to the cross whatever is humanly legitimate—such as affection—in order that they may be entirely under the authority of the Holy Spirit.

Our Lord’s demand is most meaningful, for is it not true that human affection is tremendously uncontrollable? Without consigning it to the cross and losing it, affection can become a formidable obstacle to spiritual life.

Human feelings change as the world changes. Their easy excitement can occasion a saint to lose his spiritual balance. Their constant disturbance can affect a believer’s peace in his spirit. Do not sorrows, moanings, sighs and tears usually result from hurt feelings? If the Lord is not pre-eminent in our affections He can hardly be Lord in other respects.

This is a test of spirituality and a measure of its degree. We must accordingly hate our soul life and refuse its affections to have free rein. The Lord’s demand differs completely from our natural desire.

What was previously loved shall now be hated; and even the organ which generates love, our soul life, must be abhorred as well. Such is the spiritual way. If we verily bear the cross we shall be neither controlled nor influenced by soulical affection but shall be fit to love in the power of the Holy Spirit. Even so did the Lord Jesus love His family while on earth. '

The Spiritual Man- Watchman Nee
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Why do we assume our affections are good things, simply because we have them? We enjoy happiness- so when we aren't happy we are longing to be happy. When we are filled with sorrow it makes us feel awful and it's something we despise.  There are so many different emotions we have and we truly believe they are all legitimate because they exist.

There is a popular show 'Star Trek' and on that show there is an alien whose race tries to control all their emotions so they don't rule them. They never claim not to have emotions, but rather they've learned to set them aside in favor of pure logic. Clearly God does NOT want us to set aside all our emotions- there is much talk of happiness in the Bible, there is talk of sadness, of anger and so.  When Watchman Nee talks about our feelings he's not talking about doing away with them either, but rather NOT letting them control our lives. The LORD needs to be preeminent in our affections.  We are not to be like the Star Trek alien race of Vulcans who go so far in their control of their emotions to never even show them- they shun smiling, crying, and so on.  We should however give the control of our emotions to the Holy Spirit at every opportunity. 

When we feel happy, sad, angry, depressed, when we feel any emotions so much so that we recognize we are caught up in it, we need to surrender it to the Holy Spirit and seek the Holy Spirit's guidance.  When we are caught up in happiness- we are laughing and perhaps even giddy, we need to make sure it is acceptable to God.  It's just as important that we do that with happiness as it is to do it with anger, sadness, etc. We need God to rule our lives, all our lives not just the part we set aside to seek Him, and study His word, but all day, every day, every minute of our lives are to be God's.   We don't have to become pastors, or missionaries, not unless we are specifically called to do so. Paul was a tentmaker even as He was an Apostle.  Jesus didn't ask us to give up our occupations, or even our families- as long as they both are in their places, not above God.  We are asked to walk in the spirit, not in the flesh, not in the soul-self.

Truly recognizing all aspects of our lives- affections, feelings, emotions all of it and comprehending that if allowed they will be filled with the selfishness we are to hate, is a good thing.  May God let us recognize all that would keep us from Him, from walking in the Spirit. And then, please God, please lead us in Your way everlasting!

By Your mercy, Your love, Your grace!

All in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior!

Amen!

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