Transcending Emotions: Embracing Self-Control and Divine Love

 

Summary

In today's reflection, we explored the profound impact of our moods on our spiritual and emotional well-being. We began by acknowledging the challenge of maintaining emotional health in our modern world, where feelings often dominate our decision-making processes. This is a stark contrast to previous centuries, where life was logistically more challenging, yet emotionally simpler due to the strong sense of community and shared values. Dallas Willard's insights remind us that in our current age, feelings can become the primary guide for our actions, often leading us astray.

We delved into the concept of self-control, which is crucial for living a life aligned with our values and purpose. Self-control is not about suppressing our desires but about directing our actions towards what is good, even when we don't feel like it. This discipline allows us to transcend the tyranny of our immediate feelings and align our lives with deeper, more meaningful goals.

Furthermore, we discussed the importance of cultivating positive moods and feelings, such as confidence, worthiness, and joy. These are not just fleeting emotions but are deeply rooted in our acceptance in the beloved, as Paul writes in his letter to the Ephesians. This acceptance is the foundation for reconstructing our emotional lives and fostering a sense of purpose and belonging.

We concluded with a touching story from Richard Foster about a father's love for his child, illustrating how love and acceptance can transform our emotional state. Just as the father sang a song of love over his son, God sings over us, reminding us of our belovedness and purpose. This divine love empowers us to walk through life with hope, joy, and a commitment to doing what is good.

Key Takeaways:

- Emotional Health in Modernity: In our modern age, feelings often dominate our decision-making, leading to a lack of self-control and a reliance on emotions rather than reason. Understanding this dynamic is crucial for navigating contemporary life with spiritual maturity. [03:01]

- The Power of Self-Control: True self-control involves directing our actions towards what is good, even when we don't feel like it. This discipline allows us to live authentically and courageously, aligning our lives with our values and purpose. [05:30]

- Cultivating Positive Moods: Positive moods such as confidence, joy, and peace are rooted in our acceptance in the beloved. This acceptance provides a foundation for reconstructing our emotional lives and fostering a sense of purpose and belonging. [08:38]

- The Transformative Power of Love: Just as a father's love can calm and reassure a child, God's love for us transforms our emotional state, reminding us of our belovedness and purpose. This divine love empowers us to live with hope and joy. [10:42]

- Living with Purpose: By focusing on what is good and aligning our actions with our values, we can transcend the tyranny of our immediate feelings and live a life of purpose and meaning. This approach fosters emotional health and spiritual growth. [07:13]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:25] - Introduction and Personal Background
- [00:52] - The Importance of Mood
- [01:26] - Spiritual and Emotional Health
- [02:09] - Modernity and Emotional Challenges
- [03:01] - Feelings and Decision-Making
- [03:29] - The Paradox of Reason and Feeling
- [04:12] - The Role of Self-Control
- [05:07] - Action Precedes Feeling
- [05:30] - The Discipline of Self-Control
- [06:22] - Observations on Self-Control
- [07:00] - Choosing What is Good
- [07:39] - Moods and Their Impact
- [08:23] - Positive Moods and Acceptance
- [09:09] - The Gift of Belovedness
- [10:01] - A Father's Love and Transformation
- [11:07] - God's Song Over Us
- [11:53] - Closing and Invitation to Connect

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
1. Ephesians 1:6 - "To the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves."
2. Galatians 5:22-23 - "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control."
3. Philippians 4:7 - "And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

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Observation Questions:

1. According to the sermon, how does modernity affect our emotional health and decision-making processes? [02:09]

2. What does Dallas Willard suggest is the relationship between feelings and self-control? [05:30]

3. How does the story of the father singing to his child illustrate the transformative power of love? [10:01]

4. What are some positive moods mentioned in the sermon that are rooted in our acceptance in the beloved? [08:23]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. How does the concept of being "accepted in the beloved" from Ephesians 1:6 provide a foundation for emotional health and positive moods? [08:38]

2. In what ways does the sermon suggest that self-control can help us align our actions with our values and purpose? [05:30]

3. How might the story of the father and child relate to our understanding of God's love for us? What does this imply about our emotional state and sense of belonging? [10:01]

4. How does the sermon describe the impact of modern life on our ability to maintain self-control and make decisions based on reason rather than feelings? [03:01]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on a recent decision you made based on feelings rather than reason. How might self-control have changed the outcome? [03:01]

2. Identify a situation where you struggle with self-control. What practical steps can you take to direct your actions towards what is good, even when you don't feel like it? [05:30]

3. Think of a time when you felt accepted and loved. How did that experience impact your mood and actions? How can you cultivate that sense of acceptance in your daily life? [08:38]

4. Consider the story of the father singing to his child. How can you remind yourself of God's love and acceptance in moments of emotional turmoil? [10:01]

5. What are some ways you can cultivate positive moods such as joy, peace, and confidence in your life? How does your acceptance in the beloved influence these moods? [08:23]

6. Reflect on a person or situation that challenges your patience. What specific action or prayer can you implement to approach this challenge with love and self-control? [06:22]

7. How can you create a supportive community around you that reinforces shared values and emotional health, similar to the sense of community described in previous centuries? [02:34]

Devotional

Day 1: Navigating Emotional Health in Modern Times
In today's world, emotions often take the lead in our decision-making processes, overshadowing reason and self-control. This shift contrasts with past centuries, where life, though logistically challenging, was emotionally simpler due to strong community ties and shared values. Understanding this dynamic is crucial for navigating contemporary life with spiritual maturity. By recognizing the influence of emotions, individuals can begin to cultivate a more balanced approach, integrating both feelings and reason in their daily lives. [03:01]

Jeremiah 17:9-10 (ESV): "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it? 'I the Lord search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds.'"

Reflection: Identify a recent decision you made based on emotion rather than reason. How might you approach a similar situation differently, integrating both emotion and reason?


Day 2: Embracing the Discipline of Self-Control
Self-control is not about suppressing desires but about directing actions towards what is good, even when it feels challenging. This discipline allows individuals to transcend the immediate pull of emotions and align their lives with deeper, more meaningful goals. By practicing self-control, one can live authentically and courageously, staying true to their values and purpose. This approach fosters a life of integrity and spiritual growth, enabling individuals to make choices that reflect their true selves. [05:30]

Proverbs 25:28 (ESV): "A man without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls."

Reflection: Consider an area in your life where self-control is lacking. What practical steps can you take today to strengthen your discipline in this area?


Day 3: Building a Foundation of Positive Moods
Positive moods such as confidence, joy, and peace are deeply rooted in one's acceptance in the beloved. This acceptance provides a foundation for reconstructing emotional lives and fostering a sense of purpose and belonging. By cultivating these positive emotions, individuals can create a more resilient and fulfilling life, grounded in the knowledge of their inherent worth and belovedness. This process involves embracing one's identity in the beloved and allowing it to shape their emotional landscape. [08:38]

Ephesians 1:4-6 (ESV): "Even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved."

Reflection: Reflect on a time when you felt truly accepted and loved. How can you draw on that experience to cultivate positive moods in your daily life?


Day 4: Experiencing the Transformative Power of Love
Just as a father's love can calm and reassure a child, God's love for us transforms our emotional state, reminding us of our belovedness and purpose. This divine love empowers individuals to walk through life with hope, joy, and a commitment to doing what is good. By embracing this love, one can experience profound emotional healing and transformation, allowing it to guide their actions and interactions with others. [10:42]

Zephaniah 3:17 (ESV): "The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing."

Reflection: Think of a moment when you felt God's love in a tangible way. How can you let that experience shape your interactions with others today?


Day 5: Living a Life of Purpose and Meaning
By focusing on what is good and aligning actions with values, individuals can transcend the tyranny of immediate feelings and live a life of purpose and meaning. This approach fosters emotional health and spiritual growth, enabling individuals to navigate life's challenges with resilience and grace. By committing to a life of purpose, one can find fulfillment and joy, knowing that their actions are aligned with their deepest values and beliefs. [07:13]

Colossians 3:23-24 (ESV): "Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ."

Reflection: Identify one area of your life where you feel a lack of purpose. What steps can you take today to align this area with your values and beliefs?

Quotes


I want us to learn together what is it that sets our moods, and how can we walk spiritually, practically, emotionally in such a way that our moods can enable us to bring goodness into the lives of others and enjoy God in the life he gives us. A good mood is not the same thing as spiritual maturity, but spiritual maturity and closeness to God will impact our moods. [00:84:08]

In modern condition, feelings will come to exercise almost total mastery over the individual. This is because people in that condition will have to constantly decide what they want to do and feeling will be all they have to go on. Here's a great paradox: we think of ourselves living in the age of reason, that faith is opposed to reason, and now we've been liberated for just reason. [00:172:56]

Self-control is the steady capacity to direct yourself to accomplish what you have chosen or decided to do, even though you don't feel like it. Self-control means that with steady hand, you do what you don't want to do or what you want not to do when that's needed, and you do not do what you feel like doing when that is needed. [00:330:00]

I want to have a character that enables me to live with courageous authenticity, not just in a reactive way as I deal with my anger, other people, fear, communication, what my values are, sexuality, how I talk with folks, how I treat people. I want to be a person of self-control; you do too. [00:382:319]

Ask what is good for me to do. Doesn't have to be perfect; don't be paralyzed by perfection. And then today, just do what you know to be good: help somebody, learn, read, have a good conversation with a friend, disclose yourself, write something, organize, clean up the office. Today, do what is good to do. [00:424:24]

Moods are simply feeling qualities that pervade ourselves. They last longer mostly. We'll talk about being in a good mood or a bad mood. If I'm in a down mood, it colors my perceptions. I look at events and they skew negative and make me think about my failures, and I think that the future is going to be dismal. [00:465:039]

On the positive side, there are feelings and moods associated with confidence, worthiness of good, being acceptable and belonging, purposefulness, love, hope, joy, and peace. Being accepted in the beloved is the humanly indispensable foundation for the reconstruction of all positive feelings, moods, and their underlying conditions. [00:503:36]

Richard Foster writes in one of his books about a dad being in a grocery store with a young infant that's just losing a little toddler that is just going nuts. You know how it is. Guys going through the grocery store one time and the kid is just going ballistic, and the dad keeps saying, "It's okay, Teddy, you can handle this, Teddy." [00:553:519]

As that father began to sing, the boy got quiet, and his eyes got real big, and his body got real still, hearing a song of love sung over him by his father. And he was that way all the way out through the parking lot to his dad buckled him into his car seat, and the boy looked up at his father and threw his arms up in the sky. [00:635:36]

God sings over us. We are accepted in the beloved, so you can walk through this day with a deep sense of belovedness and purposefulness and hope and meaning and joy, for you have been accepted in the beloved. Let's live there and do what is good. Guard your heart. [00:668:64]

I hope that episode put you in a good mood today. So glad that you're joining us on this journey at become new dot me. If at any time you would like prayer or to connect with somebody, you can reach out to us at our number, eight 855 zero four four four, and we would love to pray with you and connect with you there. [00:713:68]

We're doing favorites in this series, but we wanna know what your favorite video is. So if you're a part of our Facebook group, we have a poll going there, and you could vote on one of your favorite episodes, or you could send in your favorite episode to that number that I just referenced and text it to us, and we'll keep track there. [00:740:16]

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Transcript
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