Text: Isaiah 55

Key verse: \”You will live in joy and peace. The mountains and hills will burst into song, and the trees of the field will clap their hands!\”

Managing my emotions was something l struggled with for a long time. The pain deep within my wounded heart always made me see life through the lenses of pain. Everything seemed to always cause me pain, l always expected pain. Whenever things went out of alignment with the way l had thought it up in my mind, l always slipped into sadness and would remain there for the whole day. I will spend so much time in retrogression, feeling sorry for myself and the way my life had turned out. Often l blamed myself for my parents\’ separation even though l did nothing directly to be responsible for it, other than that l was a girl child. Being in this emotional state made those around me uncomfortable.

Sadness is an emotion God put in man. If you never feel sad then when things are going wrong around you, you will be insensitive to it and not do anything to correct it. When you never feel sorrow or regret for the things you\’ve done wrong, you will not be able to see the need to be sorry, apologize, or repent of it. The key to living in joy is to regularly examine the source of your sadness. God designed us to feel remorse over sin to produce repentance that leads to victory. This leaves us with no regrets. But the sorrow of the world works death.

Fire is good, it serves man in so many ways. But when the fire is left uncontrolled, it begins to destroy everything in its path. If you don\’t manage your emotions, it will take hold of you and hold you captive. Regularly ask yourself these questions that helped me in my journey; why am l sad? Who is responsible for my sadness? Is there anything l can do about it? Am l hurting others by staying sad? Can l change anything by staying sad? What do l choose now? Every time l consciously answered those questions, l always ended up wanting to come out of that dark place, to pursue joy instead.

There is good fruit that comes from sorrow when it is used positively, l must admit that some people have a higher dose of it naturally by their temperament which, as we have studied earlier, is hereditary. Still, the power to choose to yield control to it is in your hand. 

Can’t you see the good fruit that has come, as God intended, because of your remorse over sin? Now you are eager to do what is right! Look at the indignation you experienced over what happened and how alarmed you became. What holy longing it awakened, what passion for God, and how ready you were to bring justice to the offender. Your response has proved that you are free of blame in this matter. 2 Corinthians 7:11

Sadness over sinful habits moves us towards holy living. It wakens you to fight against injustice or oppression through advocacy or intercession. It is God\’s tool to stir up our hearts to engage the unreached people\’s groups who are held in Satan\’s grip and work towards their salvation. Matthew 9:36

Now we know how and why to manage sadness so we can live joyfully, don\’t forget, you need the help of the Holy Spirit to produce joy in you. As you face your daily activities with joy and peace, God sends your way miraculous interventions that will keep you rejoicing. 

Blessings,

Roses& Thorns