Day by Day - Mar. 18, 2009
March 18, 2009
The Foundation of Emotions, Part Two
by Charles R. Swindoll
Once a person comes to know Jesus personally, an amazing inner transformation occurs. Paul pinpointed that fact in his second letter to the Corinthians:
Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. (2 Corinthians 5:17)
Among those "new things" would be a renewed intellect that can comprehend spiritual truth, changed emotions that are capable of loving God, and a volition that willingly submits to obeying Him. It is remarkable how all of that becomes a reality once we come to Christ.
Now then---why would I go so deeply into all of this in yesterday's and today's devotionals . . . and how does it relate to the subject of emotions? Here's how. Because we are emotional creatures and because so much of our connection with food and motivation to exercise stem from our emotions, it is essential that we be able to control our emotions rather than have them control us. By having the power of Christ at work within us, we can finally bring our emotions under control. Instead of our being driven by them, Christ enables us to take the driver's seat and gain control of them.
By using our renewed minds and transformed wills, we can actually accomplish what we have longed to do most of our adult life: succeed in gaining control of our emotions instead of giving in to our cravings and helplessly yielding to long-standing habits.
Reaching your goals for health this year is really as much a spiritual journey as it is a physical and mental one. Therefore, your spiritual rebirth is foundational.
Reprinted by permission. Day by Day, Charles Swindoll, July 2005, Thomas Nelson, inc., Nashville, Tennessee. All rights reserved. Purchase "Day by Day" here.
