Emotionally Healthy Church

1 Samuel 21:16-22 “When David finished saying this, Saul asked, “Is that your voice, David my son?” And he wept aloud. “You are more righteous than I,” he said. “You have treated me well, but I have treated you badly. You have just now told me about the good you did to me; the Lord delivered me into your hands, but you did not kill me. When a man finds his enemy, does he let him get away unharmed? May the Lord reward you well for the way you treated me today. I know that you will surely be king and that the kingdom of Israel will be established in your hands. Now swear to me by the Lord that you will not kill off my descendants or wipe out my name from my father’s family. So David gave his oath to Saul. Then Saul returned home, but David and his men went up to the stronghold.

A few months later:

1 Samuel 26:21 “Then Saul said, “I have sinned. Come back, David my son. Because you considered my life precious today, I will not try to harm you again. Surely I have acted like a fool and have been terribly wrong.”

1 Samuel 26:25 “Then Saul said to David, “May you be blessed, David my son; you will do great things and surely triumph.” So David went on his way, and Saul returned home.”

Sauls emotions keep flipping back and forth (Like a roller coaster)

The result of Saul’s poor emotional regulation – It is ruining his life!

Poor emotional regulation:

• Damages every relationship that we are in.
• Hurts ourselves.

Jesus understands what we are facing.

Matthew 26:38-39 “Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.” Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”

Experiencing strong emotions is not sin

There are seven baseline emotions that we experience

• Happiness
• Fear
• Anger
• Sadness
• Surprise
• Disgust

There are numerous components as to why we struggle with our emotions:

• Spiritual component
• Wrong Thinking component.
• Physical component

“Developmentally, when an infant or child does not have their emotions responded to, validated, or explained by a caregiver, two parts of the brain don’t talk to each other.”

How to begin properly regulating your emotions:

First step – Name your emotion.

Second Step – Know your tendencies.

• How do you tend to act or respond with this emotion?

Third Step – SEEK A COUNSELOR

John 14:26 – “But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.”