Stewarding Emotions: Governing Feelings with God's Truth

In a world that increasingly tells us, “I feel, therefore I am,” it’s easy to let emotions define our reality and dictate our actions. Yet, God’s Word reveals a different way—one that neither dismisses emotions as untrustworthy nor deifies them as ultimate truth. Emotions are a gift from God, reflecting His own emotional nature, and are meant to be indicators, not dictators, in our lives. The Psalms, for example, are filled with raw, honest expressions of emotion, but always bring those feelings under the governance of truth and hope in God.

Self-control is the biblical “governor” for our emotions, much like the speed limiter on a bus keeps it from going dangerously fast. Without self-control, we are like a city without walls—vulnerable to destruction. The call is not to suppress or ignore what we feel, but to recognize, examine, and regulate our emotions in light of God’s wisdom. This means asking, “What am I feeling?” and “Why am I feeling it?”—and then bringing those answers before God’s Word for discernment.

Looking at the examples of Saul and Nehemiah, both experienced anger, but their responses were worlds apart. Saul let his anger fester, leading to destructive actions and spiritual decline. Nehemiah, on the other hand, recognized his anger, examined its cause, took counsel with himself, and responded constructively to address injustice among God’s people. The difference was not the absence of emotion, but the presence of self-control and godly wisdom.

Not all emotions are inherently good or bad; even joy can be misplaced, and anger can be righteous. The key is to let God’s Word define what is worthy of our delight or our grief, and to respond accordingly. Sometimes the right response is to flee temptation, sometimes to fight back with truth, and sometimes to take practical steps toward change. In all things, following Jesus means learning to govern our emotions from the inside out, so that our lives bring glory to God and reflect the abundant life He offers—even in a world that constantly tugs at our feelings.

Key Takeaways

• 1. Emotions are God-given and reflect His own nature, but they are meant to be indicators of what we love, trust, or fear—not dictators of our actions. Recognizing this helps us avoid the extremes of either dismissing emotions as irrelevant or letting them rule our lives. Instead, we are called to steward our emotions for God’s glory. [02:17]
• 2. Self-control is essential for emotional health and spiritual maturity. Like a governor on a bus, self-control sets boundaries for our feelings, preventing them from leading us into destructive behaviors or decisions. Without it, we become vulnerable to all manner of spiritual and relational harm. [13:32]
• 3. Honest self-examination is the first step in governing our emotions. We must ask ourselves not only what we are feeling, but why we are feeling it, digging beneath the surface to uncover the true roots of our reactions. This process requires humility and a willingness to confront uncomfortable truths about ourselves. [27:51]
• 4. God’s Word, not our gut or the culture around us, must define what is good, evil, worthy of joy, or deserving of anger. Even “positive” emotions like joy can be corrupted if they are rooted in sinful desires, while “negative” emotions like anger can be righteous if aligned with God’s justice. Discernment comes from saturating our hearts and minds with Scripture. [31:59]
• 5. Our emotional responses should lead to godly action, not just internal processing. Sometimes this means fleeing temptation, sometimes fighting back with truth, and sometimes taking practical steps to address the situation. In all things, we are called to follow Jesus’ example, responding to life’s challenges with wisdom, self-control, and a heart set on glorifying God. [38:00]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [02:17] - The Age of “I Feel, Therefore I Am”
• [04:30] - God’s Design for Emotions
• [09:24] - The Fire Analogy: Dismissing vs. Deifying Emotions
• [12:01] - The Governor of Self-Control
• [13:32] - Self-Control: A Fruit of the Spirit
• [16:23] - The Psalms: Honest Emotions and Truth
• [18:26] - Case Studies: Saul and Nehemiah
• [20:05] - Saul’s Anger and Its Consequences
• [24:46] - Nehemiah’s Anger: Recognition and Response
• [27:51] - Recognizing and Examining Our Emotions
• [29:37] - Regulating Emotions: Taking Counsel with Ourselves
• [31:59] - God’s Word as the Standard for Emotions
• [34:37] - Responding to Evil and Injustice
• [38:00] - Flee, Fight, or Form a Plan
• [41:14] - Following Jesus: Emotional Discipleship
• [42:54] - Emotional Discipleship in a Media-Saturated World
• [43:31] - Closing Prayer and Benediction

Bible Reading

1 Samuel 18:6-11 (ESV) — > As they were coming home, when David returned from striking down the Philistine, the women came out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul with tambourines, with songs of joy, and with musical instruments. And the women sang to one another as they celebrated, “Saul has struck down his thousands, and David his ten thousands.” And Saul was very angry, and this saying displeased him. He said, “They have ascribed to David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed thousands, and what more can he have but the kingdom?” And Saul eyed David from that day on. The next day a harmful spirit from God rushed upon Saul, and he raved within his house while David was playing the lyre, as he did day by day. Saul had his spear in his hand. And Saul hurled the spear, for he thought, “I will pin David to the wall.” But David evaded him twice.

Nehemiah 5:6-13 (ESV) — > I was very angry when I heard their outcry and these words. I took counsel with myself, and I brought charges against the nobles and the officials. I said to them, “You are exacting interest, each from his brother.” And I held a great assembly against them and said to them, “We, as far as we are able, have bought back our Jewish brothers who have been sold to the nations, but you even sell your brothers that they may be sold to us!” They were silent and could not find a word to say. So I said, “The thing that you are doing is not good. Ought you not to walk in the fear of our God to prevent the taunts of the nations our enemies? ...” (Read through verse 13 for the full context.)

Psalm 42:5 (ESV) — > Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation.

Observation Questions

1. In 1 Samuel 18, what triggered Saul’s anger, and how did he respond to it? ([20:05])
2. According to Nehemiah 5, what was Nehemiah’s initial reaction to the injustice he witnessed, and what steps did he take before acting? ([24:46])
3. In Psalm 42:5, what does the psalmist do with his feelings of being “cast down” and in “turmoil”?
4. What analogy did the sermon use to describe the role of self-control in our emotional lives? ([12:01])

Interpretation Questions

1. What does Saul’s response to his anger reveal about the dangers of letting emotions dictate our actions? ([20:05])
2. How does Nehemiah’s process of “taking counsel with himself” model a godly way to handle strong emotions? ([24:46])
3. Why is it important, according to the sermon, to ask both “What am I feeling?” and “Why am I feeling it?” before responding? ([27:51])
4. The sermon says that not all emotions are inherently good or bad. How can even “positive” emotions like joy be misplaced, and “negative” emotions like anger be righteous? ([31:59])

Application Questions

1. Think about a recent time when you let your emotions dictate your actions. What was the outcome, and how might self-control have changed the situation? ([13:32])
2. The sermon described emotions as “indicators, not dictators.” This week, what is one emotion you often let take the driver’s seat, and how can you practice recognizing it without letting it control you? ([02:17])
3. Nehemiah “took counsel with himself” before acting. What would it look like for you to pause and reflect before responding to a strong emotion this week? Is there a practical step you can take to build this habit? ([24:46])
4. The sermon challenged us to let God’s Word, not our gut or culture, define what is good or evil. Is there an area in your life where you’ve been letting your feelings or the world’s standards set the agenda? What would it look like to bring that area under God’s truth? ([31:59])
5. Sometimes the right response to emotion is to flee, sometimes to fight with truth, and sometimes to form a plan. Which of these responses do you find most difficult, and why? Can you think of a current situation where you need to apply one of these responses? ([38:00])
6. The sermon mentioned that we live in a world that constantly tugs at our feelings, especially through media and social networks. How can you be more intentional about what you allow to shape your emotions this week? ([42:54])
7. The Psalms show us how to bring raw emotions honestly before God, but always under the governance of truth and hope. Is there a specific emotion or struggle you need to bring to God in prayer this week? What would that prayer sound like? ([16:23])