Dealing With Emotions - the Jesus WaySampel

In Luke 1:39-56, Mary makes a very clear distinction between her soul magnifying the Lord and her spirit rejoicing. Our soul is the part of us that is considered to be our personality. It is our intellect, emotions, and will. Our spirit is the part that gets changed at salvation, and it is always operating in 'love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance (2 Cor. 5:17; Gal. 5:22-23). That's true whether our souls (feelings and emotions) 'feel' it or not. Many believers wait until their emotions feel like praising the Lord before they enter in to worship. They think it's hypocritical to act like they are rejoicing in the Lord if they don't 'feel' it. But our spirits are always rejoicing in the Lord. It's actually hypocritical to go by our feelings and not magnify the Lord with our souls when our born again spirits are already rejoicing. Our born again spirits are always in tune with the Lord and walking in the joy of the Lord. Our flesh is often dominated by what it sees and feels. Sometimes we don't feel like praising the Lord, but the choice rests with our souls. If we choose to praise the Lord, our emotions will follow. The decision is yours (Dt. 30:19). Today, choose to walk in the joy of the Lord.