take a step back

For the majority of my 48 years, I have allowed my emotions to rule my life.  God gave humans emotions because He wanted us to experience love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control (the fruits of the Spirit from Galatians 5:22-23).  But way back in the Garden of Eden, our enemy, the devil, saw the perfect opportunity to take advantage of our weaknesses.  If he could convince us that our emotions were truth, then he could use them to manipulate us and separate us from God.  The devil has been using our feelings against us since the beginning of time.  Why should he come up with a new tactic when the old one still works just as well?

I admit, that my natural tendency (and habit!) is to react immediately, especially when my feelings are hurt or if I feel threatened.  The devil convinced me long ago that feelings of rejection, failure, exclusion, and fear were my reality and I did everything in my own power to avoid feeling them.  At the same time, I perceived the world through the filters of rejection, failure, exclusion, and fear and I expected them.  What a tangled web of deception the devil had spun in my brain!  Thank God, He has shown me THE truth and set me free!!!

Years ago, a friend said to me...take a step back.  Look at the situation from a different perspective.  Step out of the middle of your emotions so you can see clearly.  Take a deep breath before you react to something that probably isn't reality.  My feelings are not the truth...especially when I am tired!  God is teaching me to take a step back when I feel emotions that are not from Him.  Stepping back gives me time to ask God to give me His perspective and speak TRUTH to my spirit.  Stepping back keeps me from reacting.  I'm not an expert.  I'm learning this new skill.  I will continue to practice and take a step back!