Own Your Emotions

“For as he thinks in his heart, so is he…” (Proverbs 23:7)

It can be easy to blame my feelings and moods on my situation. All it takes is running a little behind and I can feel my insides start to tense up. Then, once I become tense enough, my attitude and actions follow suit.

It’s the emotional domino effect. It’s why something like traffic can become the deciding factor of your attitude and how you treat people for an entire day.

You may have heard “guard your heart” so many times now it feels cliché, but it’s crucial to do so.

A situation may be bad. A circumstance may be hard. A relationship may be rocky. But your emotions don’t have to be controlled by what’s going on around you.

Your mood is a choice; your joy is your job. No one but you is responsible for your heart. Eventually, you have to own your emotions by the grace of God.

Once you own your emotions, you can control them. And when your emotions are in control, you can focus them towards what matters most: loving God with all your heart, soul, and mind and loving your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:36–40).