Emotional Stability

Are you up one day and down the next? Do you feel happy one minute and then become dejected? Do friends and family wonder what type of mood you will be in when they see you? Is your happiness dependent on how things are going on around you? God has not called us to a rollercoaster ride of emotional living. He wants us to be stable and steady, with a consistently calm outlook.

You might be thinking, “Janean, you have no idea what I am dealing with in my life. It is just not possible to always be the same no matter what.” Your situation may be shaky but you can be steady.

But godliness with contentment is great gain. I Timothy 6:5 (KJV)

Not that I speak from [any personal] need, for I have learned to be content [and self-sufficient through Christ, satisfied to the point where I am not disturbed or uneasy] regardless of my circumstances. Philippians 4:11 (Amplified Bible, AMP)

These verse were written by the Apostle Paul. if anyone had reason to be an emotional basket case, Paul was the man. He was beaten, shipwrecked, left for dead, imprisoned, and most of these things he endured mutliple times. However, he says that he learned to be content. He told Timothy that godliness combined with an attitude of contentment is beneficial to us. If he could remain stable in what he suffered and experienced, so can we.

Contentment means to be satisfied. It trusts that God will give all that is needed, and there is no fear of missing out on something. The heart that trusts God will not be filled with discontentment. When we get in the Word and build our trust that God is faithful to do as He says, we become more stable and secure. When we focus on the Word and decide not to be ruled by how we may feel, we become steady and consistent in our attitudes. Feelings are not to be trusted because they are constantly changing. And the enemy will try to bring feelings to us to draw us away from trusting in God. We have to decide to relax and trust God no matter what our emotions may try to tell us.

As we spend time in the Word and in His presence daily, we will find that we become more contented and satisfied, and we will no longer be on an emotional rollercoster. Emotional stability is possible in Jesus, but we must decide we want it and believe that He can give it to us.