Embracing Emotions: A Journey of Inner Renewal

 

Summary

Emotions are a profound gift from God, integral to our journey through life, especially during this Lenten season as we move towards the cross and resurrection. They are not just fleeting sensations but encompass a wide range of experiences, from physical sensations like warmth and hunger to complex emotions like compassion and joy. Dallas Willard, in his book "Renovation of the Heart," emphasizes that feelings are central to our consciousness and our ability to live fully. Without them, life becomes a mere exertion of will, devoid of energy and interest.

David Galenter, an expert in artificial intelligence, highlights the misconception of comparing the brain to a computer. Unlike computers, humans are embodied beings, and our feelings begin at the physical level, moving into emotions. This embodiment is crucial for our consciousness and identity. Feelings move us, giving us a sense of being alive. They are essential for action and interest in life. Depression, often misunderstood as sadness, is primarily a loss of feelings, leading to a lack of energy for life.

The story of the Good Samaritan illustrates the power of compassion, a feeling that moved him to help the wounded man. In contrast, the priest and the Levite were moved by feelings of fear or urgency for their own affairs, leading them to neglect the man in need. This highlights the distinction between unpleasant and destructive feelings. Unpleasant feelings, though uncomfortable, are necessary for survival and justice. Destructive feelings, however, lead us away from our values and towards sin.

The great illusion is that our circumstances dictate our feelings. However, as Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 4:16, our inner renewal through God should drive our outer life. Despite outward challenges, we are called not to lose heart but to be renewed inwardly. This renewal empowers us to live with love, joy, and peace, responding to needs with compassion. The invitation is to embrace this inner renewal, repeating the phrase "therefore we do not lose heart" as a reminder of God's sustaining presence.

Key Takeaways:

- Emotions are a divine gift, encompassing a wide range of experiences that are essential for a full and vibrant life. They move us and give us a sense of being alive, driving our actions and interests. Without them, life becomes a mere exertion of will, lacking energy and purpose. [01:45]

- Unlike computers, humans are embodied beings, and our feelings begin at the physical level, moving into emotions. This embodiment is crucial for our consciousness and identity, highlighting the unique nature of human experience. [02:27]

- The story of the Good Samaritan illustrates the power of compassion, a feeling that moves us to act in love and service. In contrast, destructive feelings lead us away from our values and towards sin, emphasizing the importance of nurturing positive emotions. [05:03]

- Unpleasant feelings, though uncomfortable, are necessary for survival and justice. They alert us to danger and injustice, providing the energy needed to address these issues. Destructive feelings, however, violate our values and lead us away from God's path. [08:29]

- Our circumstances do not dictate our feelings; instead, our inner renewal through God should drive our outer life. Despite outward challenges, we are called not to lose heart but to be renewed inwardly, living with love, joy, and peace. [09:36]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:31] - Emotions: A Gift from God
- [01:06] - Understanding Feelings
- [02:02] - The Human Experience vs. Computers
- [02:54] - The Power of Emotions
- [03:22] - The Danger of Losing Feelings
- [04:00] - The Law of Soggy Potato Chip
- [04:48] - Forming Christ's Likeness
- [05:03] - Compassion in Action
- [06:23] - The Science of Emotions
- [07:04] - Destructive vs. Unpleasant Feelings
- [08:29] - The Role of Unpleasant Emotions
- [09:22] - The Illusion of Circumstances
- [10:19] - Inner Renewal and Outer Life
- [11:13] - Conclusion and Invitation

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
1. Luke 10:25-37 (The Parable of the Good Samaritan)
2. 1 John 3:17
3. 2 Corinthians 4:16

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Observation Questions:

1. In the story of the Good Samaritan, what specific feeling moved the Samaritan to help the wounded man, and how did this differ from the feelings of the priest and the Levite? [05:03]

2. According to the sermon, what is the primary misconception about the relationship between our circumstances and our feelings? [09:22]

3. How does the sermon describe the difference between unpleasant and destructive feelings, and what role do unpleasant feelings play in our lives? [08:29]

4. What does the sermon suggest is the result of losing feelings, and how does this relate to the condition of depression? [03:22]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. How does the feeling of compassion in the Good Samaritan story illustrate the importance of nurturing positive emotions in our lives? [05:03]

2. What might Paul mean in 2 Corinthians 4:16 when he talks about being renewed inwardly despite outward challenges, and how does this relate to the sermon’s message about emotions? [09:36]

3. How does the sermon’s discussion of the embodiment of feelings challenge the common comparison of the human brain to a computer? [02:02]

4. In what ways do destructive feelings lead us away from our values, and how can we identify and address these feelings in our lives? [08:55]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on a time when you allowed your circumstances to dictate your feelings. How might you approach a similar situation differently in light of the sermon’s message about inner renewal? [09:22]

2. Identify a situation in your life where you can choose to act with compassion like the Good Samaritan. What specific steps can you take to nurture this feeling and act upon it? [05:03]

3. Consider a destructive feeling you’ve experienced recently. What practical steps can you take to address this feeling and realign with your values? [08:55]

4. The sermon suggests repeating the phrase "therefore we do not lose heart" as a reminder of God’s presence. How can you incorporate this practice into your daily routine to help manage your emotions? [10:19]

5. Think about a time when unpleasant feelings alerted you to a necessary action or change. How can you become more attuned to these feelings and use them constructively in the future? [08:29]

6. How can you cultivate a deeper awareness of your emotions and their origins, as suggested by the sermon, to enhance your personal growth and relationships? [02:27]

7. Choose one aspect of your life where you feel a loss of energy or interest. What specific actions can you take to re-engage with this area and restore your sense of vitality? [03:22]

Devotional

Day 1: Emotions as Divine Catalysts
Emotions are a profound gift from God, integral to our journey through life. They are not just fleeting sensations but encompass a wide range of experiences, from physical sensations like warmth and hunger to complex emotions like compassion and joy. Dallas Willard, in his book "Renovation of the Heart," emphasizes that feelings are central to our consciousness and our ability to live fully. Without them, life becomes a mere exertion of will, devoid of energy and interest. Emotions move us and give us a sense of being alive, driving our actions and interests. Without them, life becomes a mere exertion of will, lacking energy and purpose. [01:45]

"Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight." (Romans 12:15-16, ESV)

Reflection: Think of a recent moment when you felt a strong emotion. How did it influence your actions, and how can you see it as a gift from God today?


Day 2: Embodied Experience and Human Uniqueness
Unlike computers, humans are embodied beings, and our feelings begin at the physical level, moving into emotions. This embodiment is crucial for our consciousness and identity, highlighting the unique nature of human experience. David Galenter, an expert in artificial intelligence, highlights the misconception of comparing the brain to a computer. Unlike computers, humans are embodied beings, and our feelings begin at the physical level, moving into emotions. This embodiment is crucial for our consciousness and identity. Feelings move us, giving us a sense of being alive. They are essential for action and interest in life. [02:27]

"For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well." (Psalm 139:13-14, ESV)

Reflection: Reflect on a time when your physical sensations led to an emotional response. How does recognizing this connection enhance your understanding of being fearfully and wonderfully made?


Day 3: Compassion as a Call to Action
The story of the Good Samaritan illustrates the power of compassion, a feeling that moves us to act in love and service. In contrast, destructive feelings lead us away from our values and towards sin, emphasizing the importance of nurturing positive emotions. The priest and the Levite were moved by feelings of fear or urgency for their own affairs, leading them to neglect the man in need. This highlights the distinction between unpleasant and destructive feelings. Unpleasant feelings, though uncomfortable, are necessary for survival and justice. Destructive feelings, however, lead us away from our values and towards sin. [05:03]

"Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ." (Galatians 6:2, ESV)

Reflection: Identify someone in your life who is in need of compassion. What practical steps can you take today to bear their burden and fulfill the law of Christ?


Day 4: The Role of Unpleasant Emotions
Unpleasant feelings, though uncomfortable, are necessary for survival and justice. They alert us to danger and injustice, providing the energy needed to address these issues. Destructive feelings, however, violate our values and lead us away from God's path. The great illusion is that our circumstances dictate our feelings. However, as Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 4:16, our inner renewal through God should drive our outer life. Despite outward challenges, we are called not to lose heart but to be renewed inwardly. [08:29]

"Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil." (Ephesians 4:26-27, ESV)

Reflection: Consider a recent situation where you felt an unpleasant emotion. How can you channel that emotion into a constructive action that aligns with your values?


Day 5: Inner Renewal and Outer Life
Our circumstances do not dictate our feelings; instead, our inner renewal through God should drive our outer life. Despite outward challenges, we are called not to lose heart but to be renewed inwardly, living with love, joy, and peace. The invitation is to embrace this inner renewal, repeating the phrase "therefore we do not lose heart" as a reminder of God's sustaining presence. This renewal empowers us to live with love, joy, and peace, responding to needs with compassion. [09:36]

"So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day." (2 Corinthians 4:16, ESV)

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you feel outwardly challenged? How can you focus on inner renewal through God's presence to transform your response to this challenge?

Quotes

"Emotions are a gift from God, and check in with yourself, how are you feeling, what do you feel right now, and maybe more importantly as we're on this journey together in this Lenten season towards the cross and the resurrection, how would you like to feel, what emotions would be governing your life if you were on that pathway to becoming the woman of the man that God wants you to be that would enable you to be a gift to other people." [00:29:40]

"Feeling encompasses a range of things that are felt, Dallas writes, specifically sensations, desires, and emotions, that's what we feel. We feel warm, hungry, an itch, or fearful. Feelings include dizziness and thirst, sleepiness, awareness, sexual interest and desire, pain and pleasure, loneliness and homesickness, anger and jealousy, also comfort and satisfaction, a sense of power and accomplishment, curiosity, intellectual gratifications, compassion for others, the enjoyment of beauty, a sense of honor and delight in God." [01:08:28]

"David Galenter is a guy that was named the top expert in artificial intelligence by Time magazine for a really interesting book called Tides of Mind, and part of what he writes about in there is what a misconception it is when we think of the brain like a computer, like the brain is hardwiring and the mind is software. He says that one of the reasons why a computer is not cannot be a person, at least at this point, is that a computer is not embodied, it does not have a body and because we have bodies we are able to feel, and our feelings begin at the physical level." [01:49:32]

"We know that feelings move us, and we enjoy being moved. The term emotion was first coined several centuries ago, real early on in the scientific study of persons when people noticed that there were muscle reflexes that would move people that were associated so it was emotion, we are moved, we are set in motion by our feelings, they give us a sense of being alive." [02:49:04]

"Depression is not primarily sadness, it's primarily a loss of feelings and therefore a loss of energy for life. That's why that is a condition to be dreaded and it cannot be sustained for long, that's why so many people become dependent on substances and activities that give them feeling, even if the dependence badly harms them and those near them, such a condition is also the frequent background of suicide." [03:30:24]

"The one known as the Good Samaritan and the story by Jesus in Luke chapter 10 was distinguished from the priest and the Levite by the fact that when he saw the wounded man he felt compassion, this feeling of compassion is what led him to help the man and be a neighbor to him." [04:56:24]

"Unpleasant feelings are inevitable, when emotions come kind of Daniel Siegel writes about this they come in three stages first very quickly there'll be a signal that says pay attention to this even before we know anything else, just something merits our awareness, and then very quickly milliseconds after that there will be a general sense of this is going to be good or this is going to be bad." [07:39:28]

"Now unpleasant emotions although we don't like them are actually very important for life and anger will give me a sense of justice and energy to deal with it, fear will cause me to run out of a burning building or avoid a snake, disgust will help me not eat something that could be toxic or engage in a behavior that would be really bad." [08:22:72]

"The great illusion when it comes to feelings is that the circumstances in my life dictate the feelings that I have, but that's not God's will for you and me for this day, and I think a lot about Second Corinthians 4 verse 16 where Paul says therefore we do not lose heart, though outwardly we're wasting away, inwardly we're being renewed." [09:22:48]

"So I think my outer conditions how are things going dictate my inner life how are you feeling things going well then I feel good and generally that's the way that we operate in the short term, but Paul's inner life of being renewed day by day actually is what drove his outer life, which was one of love and joy and peace, stopping by the side of the road when somebody had a need, not shutting up his bowels of compassion." [09:47:12]

"To lose heart means to lose the spirit to engage in life, and Paul says we don't lose heart, not because things are going good on the outside, outside I'm wasting away but because I am walking together with God and being renewed from the inside so today see how many times you can say that phrase therefore we do not lose heart." [10:22:00]

"Living with wholehearted enthusiasm is a good way to feel." [11:03:44]

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Transcript
What was the most surprising thing in this sermon?
Were there any personal stories shared?