Master Your Moods

CURRENT TEACHING SERIES Transformed

Master Your Moods By Rick Warren — Jan 20, 2015 “Your attitude should be the kind that was shown us by Jesus Christ.” (Philippians 2:5 TLB) If you want to succeed in life, you must learn how to master your moods. When you have emotion that isn’t getting you where you want to go, you’ve got two options: You either change it, or you channel it. Sometimes you need to change what you’re feeling. Some emotions are so destructive, so damaging, so hurtful, so non-effective, the only thing you can do is change it. You’ve got to change what you’re feeling. Philippians 2:5 says, “Your attitude should be the kind that was shown us by Jesus Christ” (TLB). Your attitude includes your emotions, so what you’re feeling should be the same as that of Jesus. You need to ask yourself, “How would Jesus feel in this situation? Would Jesus get irritated with this waitress? No. Would Jesus yell at that person? No. Would Jesus be up all night, wringing his hands and worrying that it isn’t going to work out? No. Would Jesus be fearful? No.” Then, you instantly dismiss any feeling that doesn’t make you more like Jesus. If Jesus wouldn’t respond to your wife with that emotion, then you shouldn’t, either. You drop that attitude, and you figure out what Jesus would do instead. Sometimes you need to channel what you’re feeling. When my son, Matthew, died, I entered into the deepest possible grief you can imagine. But my wife and I decided from the first moment that we were going to channel that grief for good and use our pain to help other people. That’s one of the reasons we host the annual conference on mental illness at Saddleback Church. I’m not about to waste a hurt I go through. I’m going to use it for good. Your greatest ministry will not come out of your strengths and successes. Your greatest ministry could come out of your deepest pain. What pain in your life are you using for good? If you have been in so much pain you didn’t even want to talk about it, then you need to learn to manage your emotions. You need to name the emotion, challenge it, and channel it if you’re not going to change it. Then, you use it for good. PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick >> Talk It Over Why do you think it’s sometimes easier to feel the emotions we want to feel instead of what we know Jesus would feel in that setting? What do you need to do to give yourself time to ask these questions in any situation? What pain in your life can you use to help other people? Dream On TODAY’S SCRIPTURE “May we shout for joy when we hear of your victory and raise a victory banner in the name of our God. May the LORD answer all your prayers.” (Psalm 20:5, NLT) TODAY’S WORD from Joel and Victoria You have a great dream and a vision for your life. Everyone does; that’s what keeps people motivated during the tough times. The problem isn’t that people don’t have dreams — it’s that they don’t do their part to fulfill those dreams and allow them to come to pass. God wants you to pursue and fulfill your dreams, and not to let everyday life stand in the way. Of course, there are many daily routines to be done, but don’t let these things stop you from striving towards the goals God has put in your heart. He doesn’t want you to stop until you have discovered all that He has in store for you! A PRAYER FOR TODAY God, I know that You have great and wonderful things for me. Help me not give in to the pressures of the world around me as I pursue the dreams you have for me! In Jesus’ Name. Amen. PS... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3HXWDX0hv0w