The Soul, Part 2 — The Emotional Aspect

Did you ever own something that you treasured? Something that was precious to you? It's treated specially – gently polished and wrapped for safekeeping; or perhaps, displayed on the mantle as a showpiece.

Week 1–"I Second That Emotion"

An emotionally healthy person sees value and worth in themselves.

Their uplifting attitude is reflected in their lifestyle. This is the type of person who sees the body, not as an idol of worship, but as a tool, a protective covering of the true treasure. Our hearts are not just the electrical pump supplying Oxygen to the body, but the very core of our being. In his book, "Golf and the Spirit," M. Scott Peck sees the things most important in life as being "...what cannot be seen (or touched, or measured, or so on)...then what is immediately visible to the untrained eye."

Emotions arise out of the heart, and can even override the thought process of the brain. Why can we be emotionally compelled to move in a certain direction, when our head is telling us to do something otherwise? When we know something in our heart of hearts, we don't have to be moved by what is seen with our eyes or heard in our heads.

The Women's Study Bible describes happiness and depression as issues of the heart – What a person has on the inside has more impact on his emotional state then the circumstance. Everyone has emotions, but when left unchecked, they can translate into physical problems.

When life becomes a pressure cooker, activity becomes the releassssssssssssse valve!

The stable person will set aside time to tend to and lovingly care for the physical person in ways such as: healthy eating, exercise, and rest. The emotionally healthy person perceives this lifestyle as an appreciative response to a gift, rather than a life of deprivation and punishment.

A cheerful heart brings a smile to your face; a sad face makes it hard to get through the day. Proverbs 15:13 (THE MESSAGE)

Week 2–"Mother Nurture"

Have you ever knitted a sweater for anyone? First, the stitch is practiced until it is perfected. Next, the sweater shape, size, and color must be taken into consideration for that particular person. Each time the project is resumed, the knitter is thinking of that person. Are the sleeves long enough? Is this their style? They are motivated simply by the joy imagined that this gift will bring.

It is truly a gift of love!

David acknowledges God as our Creator, Who knit us, these wonderfully intricate and complex human beings, in our mothers' wombs. As Max Lucado says, you weren't mass-produced. God created you and provided for you a warm, secure, nourished, and loving environment.

You had no say in the matter! This was His idea.

In birth, we move to a new stage in life, yet God still provides. Our overall wellness is found in the loving arms of our mothers. This is His plan and design for each of us. If you see your life today as being far from that "peace that passes all understanding," ¹ then seek the presence of probably the only One who loves you more than your mother.

A cheerful heart brings a smile to your face; a sad face makes it hard to get through the day. Proverbs 15:13 (THE MESSAGE)

Week 3–"What? Me Worry?"

As someone once wrote on a poster – "Who says worry doesn't work?" Anytime I worry about something it never happens. Worry is one of the most unproductive emotions we can generate. Its foundation is usually baseless, but its power is debilitating. Worry can come from a feeling of a loss of control, or anticipation of an unknown outcome. As worry is nurtured in the mind it can produce physical ailments in the body. Not one moment of worry can change the course of any given circumstance.

To worry or not to worry – There is a choice!

Faith in God can dispel the fears that cause us to worry, get discouraged, and become depressed. "Religion is a sign of health," says Robert H. Schuller. Even the A.M.A. is seeing a remarkable correlation between a patient's faith in God and their successful and speedy recovery. Dr. Gerald Jampolsky, a noted psychiatrist and former agnostic, said, "For twenty five years I thought people who went to church, prayed, and believed in God were not normal...Now, I see that I was completely wrong. They were normal, I was not."

Choose today to live worry free. Put your faith in the God of the Bible and trust in His promises for your life.

A cheerful heart brings a smile to your face; a sad face makes it hard to get through the day. Proverbs 15:13 (THE MESSAGE)

Week 4–"Lean, Mean, and Bursting with Self-Esteem"

There is nothing so rewarding as setting out to do something and accomplishing it. Our self-esteem soars and as a result our confidence increases.

Self-confidence is attractive!

So why aren't we always on the move pursuing new goals? Most of the healthy wellness promoting activities are athletic in nature. They are not like curling up in a corner with a good book. Attempting a new activity puts us right out there with the best of them. What will end in a boost of self-esteem could possibly begin in humiliation and failure.

The secret to success is overcoming that first pitfall.

Very few people can pick up an activity for the first time and look like a champ. Everyone starts out as a beginner. Self-consciousness precedes self-esteem. The accomplished players don't really notice the trepidation we feel. Just like a plane flying overhead isn't given a second thought, every engine noise is locked into our memory when the plane becomes our flight Our feelings of inadequacy become magnified. But everyone has experienced those feelings.

Get over it!

No matter how long the run, the first mile is always the hardest. Robert Schuller, speaking of God's promises, encourages us to attempt the impossible. When you do, "...you will discover that you will be filled with excitement, enthusiasm, energy, youth, and happiness."

A cheerful heart brings a smile to your face; a sad face makes it hard to get through the day. Proverbs 15:13 (THE MESSAGE)

1 Philippians 4:7