Emotions in Dark Times

This week on Sharin’ Hearts Woman to Woman, Janie and Sharon discuss that there are times in our lives when the Lord appears to pull back the comfort and grace that we all want and need each day.  We start to question His goodness and protective care.  When we do, we open ourselves up to another set of messy emotions.   If we do not bring our thoughts captive we can fall under the control of the enemy, unknowingly. The Lord’s silence may simply be His stretching us to grow in deeper faith and trust in Him.

 

However, if we fail to put on the full armor of God, be ignorant of Satan’s devices, fail to resist the enemy by steadfast faith, or have an unteachable spirit; we can easily open the door to enemy influence.   Pride can come out of our thinking, personality, and emotions in 100 different ways.  We are not to spend our time focusing on the enemy, taking our eyes off of the Lord, who is our strength, shield, and foundation for overcoming.  Nevertheless, we are to look into the Word of God and find out how the devil’s tactics are shown as examples from the scripture.

Thirty-One Kings by A. B. Simpson

The enemy cannot read our minds, but he can plant thoughts from external sources and internally stored memories.  If we resort to listening, then our behavior will show that influence in our actions and the enemy will know how to further his cause in us.  Remember, he can hear what we say and do. He is an expert in deception and blindness.

Satan’s downfall of defeat for eternity was in his prideful desire to be worshipped as a god and he wants to take us down that same road of worship of self. We all must battle the spirit of pride in our lives but can learn the mind of Christ to counter false thinking.

We examine scripture today that builds truth deep within our inner being to keep us from taking this destructive detour.

Thirty-One Kings by A. B. Simpson

 

Emotions in Loss

“There hath no temptation (testing) overtaken you but such is common to man; but God is faithful who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able; but with the temptation also make a way of escape that you may be able to bear it” 1 Corinthians 10:13.

 

This week on Sharin’ Hearts Woman to Woman, Janie and Sharon extend the series The 4 M’s of Emotions to include how loss affects our emotions. Emotions are messy and sometimes it’s because we are suffering loss; grieving or mourning. Loss comes in many different ways; death, job, career, marriage, retirement, home, dreams, etc. Janie and Sharon discuss the 5 aspects of grief that we usually pass through in coming to terms with the loss. They also discuss how stress can be a factor that makes for messy emotions.

Five Aspects of Grief

His Truth Transforms Ministries, a ministry we trust has some books for “preventing emotional meltdowns” AngerAnxietiesDepressionFear, and Guilt.

Emotions are Messengers Part 2

But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in My name, He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said to you” John 14:26.

This week on Sharin’ Hearts Woman to Woman, Janie and Sharon continue to discuss the importance of knowing how to hear the messages that emotions are bringing to us. Where do emotions come from and how can we distinguish what they are saying.

“At a very early age, we begin to receive messages and impressions about ourselves from those around us; parents, brothers, sisters, kids on the playgrounds, teachers, etc. These messages result in approval/acceptance that makes us feel OK about ourselves, or bring disapproval/rejection that makes us feel bad.”

 

Encourage without Wounding – Episode 2

“He sent His word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.  Oh that men would praise the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men!” Psalm 107:20-21.

Sharon and Janie discuss how the wounded can get well.  Wounds can be deep and painful or surface scratches that sting, but either way wounds hurt.  Using the hospital as an analogy, they share the importance of taking medicine that the Doctor (God) orders.  Knowing that medicine is available or having medicine within reach will not work, only when it is taken will it make a difference in our life.  Sometimes we look in the medicine cabinet (Scripture) and we just don’t know what to take that will make us better.  Healing is a process that requires covering the wound in His word.  Showing others our wounds only causes infection and disease.

Recorded live on KWXC 88.9 Christian Talk Radio – Grove, Ok.

 

Mary Beth Sheridan

Connect with Mary Beth Sheridan

mary-beth-sheridanFor the last three years I have served as the Director of the Women’s Ministry at Cornerstone Church in Grove, Oklahoma.  I along with my husband, Mark, have been very active in the church with youth as I serve on the praise and worship team, and bible teaching.  Previously, we spent 10 years at Christ Church, where we served as children’s pastors, after having spent a year as Associate Pastors at Jay Family Worship Center in Jay, Oklahoma.  Overall, we have 19 years of experience in the ministry.  We are parents to two children, Joshua and Rachel, and proud grandparents to 4 grandsons, Abram, Michael, Micah, and Lucas.

 

My childhood was unlike most, in that I grew up with 12 brothers and sisters.  At the age of 11, my life changed overnight.  I lost everything that I had ever known- my home, my siblings, parents, aunts, and uncles.  Life as I knew it, changed forever.  I am a survivor of child abuse, neglect, and eventually, abandonment.  From the age of 11 to the age of 18, I lived in 9 different homes.  Because I lived in so many places, I was raised with many different religions, beliefs, and lifestyles.  This has helped to shape me into the person I am today, as I have experienced many different ways of life.  I had always tried to live up to what my foster parents expected of me but had always felt that it was unobtainable.  At the age of 24, I was ready to give up and had thoughts of ending my life.  That was when I began going to counseling, and in my search of healing, I found Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior.  It was then that the healing process began.  He made me feel like I had purpose, and leaning on Him gave me the strength to help others overcome the same difficulties that I had experienced just a short time before.  It is my passion to see people who are suffering to overcome and have someone to lean on and to know that we all have problems, but that we are not the problem.  Problems are opportunities to overcome and I am an over comer with Jesus as the center of help.  Teaching others the word of God is my passion.