Genesis 4:6-7 NKJV
6 And the Lord said to Cain, Why are you angry? And why do you look sad and depressed and dejected? 7 If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin crouches at your door; its desire is for you, but you must master it.
We all know the story of Cain and what he did to his brother. Cain was a man who could not control his emotions and, just like God warned him, sin got the best of him.
Can you discipline your emotions, or do you lose your cool easily?
As I thought about this, I was reminded of the incident where a high-ranking government official pulled out a gun on a security guard, and it was such a big deal she lost her job. It all boils down to not being able to discipline our emotions.
Emotional quotient (EQ) or emotional intelligence is something that many organizations are investing in to get their staff trained.
Moses was anointed, but he had a huge problem with his temper. We see him kill an Egyptian in a fit of anger, and then we see him strike the rock instead of speaking to it as God had commanded. The repercussions were great, though he saw the promised land, he did not enter, he died in the wilderness together with those who did not believe.
How many marriages and relationships get ruined because one party cannot manage and discipline their emotions? Instead of responding to situations, we end up reacting because we allow our emotions to take the lead, making us say and do things that we regret later.
Think about Jesus on the cross and all the abuse he went through, yet it was through him that all that is created was created. What if he had allowed his emotions to get the best of him so that he steps off the cross just to prove to his mockers that he was who he claimed to be? Remember in the garden when Peter cut off the ear of the slave to the high priest, Jesus maintained his cool, told Peter to put his sword back and Jesus went on to heal this man before he was arrested.
Manage and discipline your emotions because if you do not, they will get the better of you and lead you into sin just like Cain or Moses.
Reflections
What kind of situations cause you to lose your cool?
Would you consider yourself to be an emotionally disciplined person? Why?
Proverbs 29:11 Amplified Bible (AMP)
11 A [shortsighted] fool always loses his temper and displays his anger, But a wise man [uses self-control and] holds it back.
Find two other scriptures in Proverbs that address our emotions; what lessons do you learn from them?
