By Tanya Jolliffe
A few weeks ago, I found it hard to make myself get up for my morning walk. It was very gray and overcast outside, but there was no forecast for rain, so what excuse did I have to skip the exercise? I thought exercising might help me feel better, so up and at it. I went. As I walked and listened to a Christian radio station, my eyes often filled with tears. Soon the tears were streaming down my face. Why was I so sad? Luckily, I recognized that I needed to change my mindset and mood. I recalled 2 Corinthians 10:6 and took captive every thought and made it obedient to Christ. By the time I got home from my walk, my mood had changed.
Isn’t it amazing how the weather outside influences our mood? A gray day can cause us to feel downcast, while a bright, sunny day encourages joy. Our attitude can change many times throughout the day for various reasons and can also serve as a barometer for our emotions and feelings. There are external influences on our mood, such as situations, people, or places, while hormones, amino acids, and neurotransmitters are internal mood influencers. While these influences impact our mood, an emotional component is at the root.
We experience six primary emotions and recognizing and understanding our mood can shine the light on which of those emotions we might want to explore further. Feeling downcast and low? Perhaps you want to consider what is making you fearful or sad. Feeling bright and cheery? Maybe love and joy are the emotions to explore. Why should we unpack these emotions? Because it is our emotions that trigger our feelings and thoughts that lead to behaviors that bring self-satisfaction and pleasure or guilt and shame. Our emotions and feelings are at the heart of our decisions and reactions dealing with food, relationships, and activities.
Scripture can help us shine a light on our mood. In Psalm 42:11 NIV, we read, “Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me?” We can rely upon these profound questions whenever we feel down because understanding our ‘why’ is essential. Luckily as we read on, we find the prescription. “Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.” We can choose how we respond to our mood and where we allow our feelings and thoughts to take us.
Philippians 4:6-7 NIV provides a beautiful prescription for our downcast mood. “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Did you catch the prescription? In EVERY situation, we are to pray and ask God for help while offering Him our thanksgiving to receive the peace we long for. The closer we are to Christ, the more we feel his peace, which can turn even the darkest moods around. As we read in Philippians 4:8 NIV, we find the rest of the mood prescription.
“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things.” Recognizing what we are feeling and why can help us begin to train our mind, so it doesn’t dwell on thoughts that are not true, right, or lovely.
Next time you find yourself in a downcast mood, take a few moments to either write down or mentally note what is true, lovely, pure, noble, right, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy in your life. Then thank God for those things and receive His peace. It is the best mood prescription there is. And if you need some help with identifying emotions and feelings and how they influence your food, relationship, and activity choices, let’s talk.
Looking for a way to connect with God daily? CLICK HERE to check out our new daily devotional: Living in Truth Mind, Body, Spirit.
