To Honor Christ While Tempering Our Emotions

We must practice sober-mindedness—a belief that our feelings are valuable "gauges" but not the "guides" of our faith. This approach is often called Ordered Affections, where our love for God is the primary force that organizes and balances all other emotions.

Core Belief: Spirit and Truth

The central belief for this balance is worshipping in Spirit and Truth (John 4:24). It teaches that while the Holy Spirit may move our heart with deep feeling, those feelings must always align with the unchanging "Truth" found in the Bible.

How to Practice This Alignment

Take Thoughts Captive: When an emotion feels overwhelming or out of alignment, use 2 Corinthians 10:5 to "take it captive" by comparing it to God's Word. If the feeling contradicts Scripture, we choose to act on the Truth instead of the feeling.

View our emotions as signals that reveal what we are currently valuing or believing. Ask, "Does this feeling reflect Christ's heart?" to help us redirect it.

The "Pause Practice": Before reacting or speaking from a place of high emotion, pause to pray and repeat a grounding verse like James 1:19: "Be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry."

Pour Out to God (Lament): Honor Christ by bringing raw emotions directly to Him in prayer, much like the Psalms of Lament. This allows the Spirit to "temper" and shape our feelings while we are still being honest about them.

Seek Fruit, Not Highs: Measure your spiritual health by the Fruit of the Spirit (like self-control and peace) rather than by how intense our emotional experiences feel.

Instruction: Let truth lead emotion, not the other way around.

Moises Phillips