Every human emotion consists of two parts: the initial inward mental state, and the secondary outward behavior that follows it. The first stage has great potential to affect our own heart and mind, then the second stage touches the hearts and minds of others. Like a busy city intersection, this complex network of thoughts, feelings, and actions is constantly flowing and changing with the criss-crossing of different speeds, shapes, and sizes, often times unknowingly affecting others around us.
Our ability to feel is a wonderful gift from God – it gives us joy in happy times, forces us to ask for help when we can’t go it alone, allows us mourning in times of loss, helps us to recognize our own flaws, and urges us to slow down when we are running on fumes. But our feelings can become destructive forces if left unchecked, and unlike ever-present traffic signals and road signs, emotional warnings tend to be far less visible.
In this five-part sermon series, simply-titled “Emotion”, we will learn to become more aware of inward and outward signs in order to better control our emotions, as opposed to them controlling us. We'll find that the ride can be a smooth one when we navigate these complex emotions with our mind on God and our eyes fixed on the road.