Yesterday we held our first class, morning and evening on our new study, "Get A Grip". We will be using "Managing Your Moods" by Women of Faith (first lesson ready to discuss next week the 16th) where we will be learning how to deal with the emotional ups and downs we women face on a day to day basis.
For those of you who missed our orientation or are going to do the study through the Rooted and Grounded Blog you will see below what we learned in our first class. This was simply an introductory session. If you have received your book you will be doing Chapter One this coming week and will find info from next Thursday's study posted sometime the following Friday or Saturday.
Orientation - Thursday, September 9th
Carrie (a.m.) & Melanie (p.m.) started our studies off with a youtube video (see below) called Top 3 Laughing Babies. Warning: this video will cause you to laugh uncontrollably, a bit like the babies starring in it.
Carrie and Mel made the point that laughter is contagious and much like other emotions they effect those around us whether positive of negative.
The gals then introduced us to a game similar to Taboo where the women tried to guess different emotional terms demonstrated by their teammates like "wearing your heart on your sleeve" and "head over heels in love". It was a fun time had by all.
Then we began our introductory session (not from your book). So you too joining us via this blog can participate as you follow below:
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/emotion (handout on definition of emotions)
Consider the emotions you have had in the past 24 hours. You will likely have to consider your circumstances to remember most of those emotions - who you received phone calls from, people you ran into while running errands, working on projects, etc. See if you can pinpoint those emotions and recognize how much they varied in a 24 hour span.
As we go through this study in the coming weeks you will begin to recognize your emotions more readily and what caused them in the first place, circumstances, thoughts, people, etc.
Section One - "Gripped by Emotion"
Consider the title of our study "Get A Grip". What other phrases can you come up with that are similar i.e. "settle down", "get control of yourself", chill out". Write down some you come up with yourself. You may even want to share them through the comment page below.
How does it make you feel when someone tells you to Get a Grip or any of the similar terms above when you are experiencing a negative emotion? If you are like most of us you would say it only fuels the flame. Perhaps that's because we know as women that just to "get a grip" on an emotion that has us "in its grip" is easier said then done.
Look up the scriptures below. Note the word "grip or gripped" in the passage (Depending on the version you use, the phrase "take hold of" may be used instead.) You will see that emotions that grip us today were just as prevalent many years ago.
Exodus 15:14-15
Jeremiah 49:23-24
Jeremiah 50:43
Mark 16:8
Luke 1:12
Luke 8:37
You could probably relate to some of those emotions mentioned in the above passages - panic, anguish, fear, etc. Even though the era and circumstances were different, most of would be able
to say at one time or another we have experienced like emotions.
Section two - God Has Emotions Too
Have you ever thought of God as having emotions? The reason humankind experiences emotions is due to the fact that we were created in God's image (Genesis 1:26) for our God is an emotional God. However, we must realize that God's emotions are pure and holy where as our emotions, even though perfect at the start, have been corrupted through original sin and are effected by various circumstances, people and thoughts. Our emotions will always be subject to our sin nature. However, this is not true of God's emotions.
In his book, "Faith and Feelings" Brian Borgman states:
We must keep in mind that God's emotional capacities are both invulnerable and perfect. His emotions are not dependent on anything outside of Himself. Although He responds to and is moved by human events, He is never emotionally vulnerable, never surprised by an event or overcome with emotion. His feelings are not subject to sinfulness, since He is holy. His emotions are perfectly righteous in their essence and exhibition.... "God's emotions are always in line with His holiness and moral character. God's emotions are always correct, righteous and moral because He is always correct, righteous and moral."
Knowing God's emotions are pure and holy look up the scriptures below, taking note of the different emotions He exhibits.
Isaiah 42:1 delight
Isaiah 62:5 rejoicing
Genesis 6:5-6 grief
Proverbs 6:16-19 hate
Psalm 103:13 compassion
Jeremiah 31:3 love
Jesus in His humanity experienced many emotions. We recognize his weeping at the grief of Mary and Martha at the death of their brother Lazarus. You will read over and over again in the gospels how Jesus had compassion on those around Him. And let us not leave out the Holy Spirit as we are told in Ephesians 4:30 not to grieve Him by sinning against Him.
Final Thoughts
Recognizing we have emotions given to us by a God of emotions should bring us to the point of understanding that He is the only one who can give us long lasting help from those emotions which sometimes wreak havoc on our lives. As we go through this twelve week study we want to turn the tables on our negative emotions, no longer allowing them to grip us as we learn to reach out and grip the only answer to help us overcome - God's Holy Word. As we read through the different chapters in "Managing Your Moods" it will direct us each and every time how to turn to God's Word instead of man's solution for dealing with our emotions. So grab your pen, book and Bible and let's begin a journey together in getting a grip on what God says about managing our moods and emotions.
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