Text- Romans 12:9 "… Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good"
You might have read the verse in today’s text before, maybe even many times already, but I want to share with you one of my reflections on the verse – the fact that God commands us to regulate (or even if necessary, change) our emotions.
I want you to understand that the structure of this verse does not lend to any form of objectivity whatsoever. In other words, the verse conveys the idea that what is evil is not determined by what you dislike… Rather, it says what you dislike should be determined by what is evil. There is “That which is evil”, dislike it!
Is this a joke or something? How will the Bible say we should dislike “that which is evil”… what if it is something we like already? Should we just change our emotions just like that? Is this even possible? Isn’t this going to be difficult?
The list of questions you have right now are probably endless. But you see, if God requires that we should hate that which is evil, it means it is actually possible for us to. Agreeing with this fact is the first thing we must do before we can actually “abhor that which is evil”
Contrary to what you may think, you have control over your emotions. You have control over what you like and what you dislike.
As a married man, it is possible for you to meet another woman that you like. If this happens, the covenant of marriage restrains you from going after her, but much more than that, that covenant mandates you to kill any emotions that you have developed.
A decent man respects the marriage covenant and regulates his emotions; a wicked man disregards the marriage covenant and follows his emotions; a weak man doesn’t know what to do – he’s caught up in between his emotions and pleasing God. He feels he’s helpless, but that’s not true.
It’s the same thing with mood swings. You know, it just happens… nobody plans for it. In fact, there is a cyclical pattern for women; they are expected to have mood swings at certain points in their monthly cycle, or at least, that’s what we have been made to believe.
Beloved, you have power over your mood! You can choose to be happy; you can choose to be lively, you can choose to detest sin, you can choose to stop feeling like a woman locked up in a man’s body, you can choose not to fall in love with that unbeliever… you are not a slave of your emotions!
The bottom line of Christina living and spiritual growth is actually not about changing our behavior; it is in changing our emotions. It is not about willpower; it is first about the emotions… that inner intensity that drives willpower.
PRAYER
Father, please grant me the grace to regulate my emotions; grace to abhor evil and cleave to that which is good in Jesus Name.
Image Credit: blogs.psychcentral.com