Emotions Are A Blessing From The Lord

If there is one are that I am guilty of downplaying or at times misrepresenting it would be the role of "feelings" in the Christians life. Praise the Lord that He has provided godly men to help out in this much needed area.

The "Doctor" says:

Now we move on to another theme, very closely connected of course, and very closely associated with these fears and apprehensions with respect to the future. This theme is indicated in this sixth verse and it concerns the whole problem of feelings-feelings in the Christian life. Perhaps there is nothing so frequently encountered as a cause of spiritual depression and unhappiness in the Christian life as this very problem of feelings. Where do they come in, and what should they be? People are constantly troubled about the matter, and I am sure that all who have ever been engaged in pastoral work will agree that there is no particular subject that brings people so often to the pastor as this very problem of feelings. Now that is very natural because, after all, we all desire to be happy. That is something that is innate in human nature; nobody wants to be miserable, though I am aware of the fact that there are people who seem to enjoy being miserable and some who seem to find their happiness in being unhappy! I regard it as a great part of my calling in the ministry to emphasize the priority of the mind and the intellect in connection with the faith; but though I maintain that, I am equally ready to assert that the feelings, the emotions, the sensibilities obviously are of very vital importance. We have been made in such a way that they play a dominant part in our make-up. Indeed, I suppose that one of the greatest problems in our life in this world, not only for Christians, but for all people, is the right handling of our feelings and emotions. Oh, the havoc that is wrought and the tragedy, the misery and the wretchedness that are to be found in the world simply because people do not know how to handle their own feelings! Man is so constituted that the feelings are in this very prominent position, and indeed, there is a very good case for saying that perhaps the final thing which regeneration and the new birth do for us is just to put the mind and the emotions and the will in their right positions.*

Soli Deo Gloria!


*Martyn Lloyd-Jones;D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones. Spiritual Depression: Its Causes and Cure (Kindle Locations 1380-1392). Kindle Edition.