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First, emotions are closer to us than air. They are the ever-present current within us: they define the inner world and give us continual commentary on the outer world. Awareness of life starts with emotions. Emotions come with great intensity, and most of us struggle with our emotions. A thought may be put out of the mind, but it is much more difficult to put a fearful emotion out of the mind. A person may be filled with dread due to a fearful thought or situation, yet the force of the emotions is what preoccupies the individual, not the thought. We cannot get away from our emotions, therefore we must deal with them. The Evangelical's approach to emotions may be the weakest part of our "system" of spirituality. Note the differences between charismatics and the Bible regarding emotions. Time after time, all of us have heard the biblically oriented person question the validity of emotions. At the same time, the charismatic elevates the emotional experiences to a level of definitive spiritual reality. We desperately need clarity in this area. The place of emotions is not only a significant issue in the evangelical movement, but also in the pages of the Bible. For example, managing emotions is critical to the successful spiritual life. One of the ministries of the Spirit of God is to mold the human ability to have emotions into an instrument for the display of Christ’s character. A very practical understanding of the Holy Spirit’s role as it relates to our emotions will lead to a practical understanding of the spiritual life. This is especially true because the contents of the Bible constantly address the world of emotions and the world of the unconscious. With the occurrence of the counseling revolution, clarity is needed regarding the place of emotions. Emotions are where the counselor begins. The doorway to the inner life is not the world of dreams as it was with Freud, but it is the experience of emotions.
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hy have a set of Life Solutions just on emotions?
Why begin with emotions and end with emotions? Would it not
make more sense to have a course on the Christian and his or her
mind? Or the Christian and the will? Why emotions?
