Emotions: Given by God

Emotions. We are hard-wired with them. God made us that way. But how important are they really? How much attention are we supposed to give them? What DO we do with them?

We pay considerable attention (and rightly so) to our thinking, but what about our emotions? Does God care about our emotions? What does the Bible say about them?

The first fundamental truth is that both God and people are hard-wired with emotions. God feels and we feel. We are made in His image (Genesis 1:27), so we reflect His nature. Here are a few Bible verses highlighting the emotional nature of both God and humanity: 

Isaiah 61:8a (God): For I, the Lord, love justice; I hate robbery and wrongdoing …

Romans 12:9a (Humanity): Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil …  

Psalm 145:8 (God): The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love. 

Ephesians 4:32a (Humanity): Be kind and compassionate to one another … 

Deuteronomy 4:24 (God): For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God. 

2 Corinthians 11:2a (Humanity): I (Paul) am jealous for you with a godly jealousy.  

Are you getting the picture? The Bible, both the Old Testament and the New Testament, is replete with references to both God’s emotions and ours. He and we are emotional beings. Emotions are an integral part of His nature and our nature. We are meant to feel. 

The second fundamental truth is that our relationship with God is a relationship of the heart.  

Mark 12:30a: Love the Lord your God with all your heart …  

The heart is the core of our being. It has, among other things, rational and emotional aspects. 

Matthew 9:4b: … Jesus said, “Why do you entertain evil thoughts in your hearts? 

John 16:22b: … but I (Jesus) will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice … 

We relate to God rationally and emotionally. We are meant to interact with Him, both with our thoughts and with our feelings. He wants us to think as He thinks and to feel as He feels. The love of God is not something we just mentally apprehend; it is something we are meant to feel; it’s experiential. We are not meant to just mentally agree that sin is something we turn away from, it is something we are meant to hate.  

So, how about you, do you give yourself permission to feel as a person and in your relationship with God? What does He think and how does He feel about you? 

Jim Kubiak serves as a pastor-at-large in Bonner County. He can be reached at JimKubiak7@gmail.com.