Situational Mastery of the Emotions

One thing most of us find is the biggest challenge in life, particularly within our families and in our workplace settings, is the regulation of our emotions.

We each have our buttons, that when pressed elicit the sort of emotional response we long try to repress. Anger is the classic example. Another is tears—controlling ourselves in a public environment. Other people struggle with going to water when faced with a bully. Rarely do we ever complain about the happy emotions, however.

Each of us has an opportunity to develop situational mastery of our emotions.

This is about progressing along the emotional continuum toward maturity.

As we identify our ‘sore spots’, and those emotional situations that get us in a pickle, we have the opportunity to work with the Spirit of God in praying for the resources to meet those situations better next time.

We pray for awareness of those situations and for the courage to respond better.

We want to be able to express our emotions, in a positive way, when it is appropriate to be emotional—in genuine sadness or joy, within myriad other emotion.

We also want to be able to control our emotions in those situations where an emotional response will do no good, or even perhaps harm.

Two Halves Make a Whole

As we plot our emotional course throughout our days and situations, we foresee threats before they arrive. Half of a better emotional response is in the planning. The other half is in the execution—deciding to maintain control in the moment.

Deciding has resolution about it.

In deciding—making the decision—we commit to that decision. And then we see it out; all the way through to the logical end point.

We want to know ourselves.

Emotional regulation is about knowing ourselves in our situations.

Knowing ourselves is the key.

Only in knowing God can we truly know ourselves.

When we approach the place where we truly know ourselves—and never is there the perfect destination we arrive at—we are home to truth, and the truth can threaten us no more.

A great indication that we are home to truth is how well we regulate our emotions; how liberated we are to enjoy emotional freedom.

Situational mastery of the emotions is perhaps the greatest gift of God we could develop and, hence, enjoy. This gift is a gift to others, not only to ourselves. This gift works for us and for anything within our sphere of influence.

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We want to know ourselves.

Emotional regulation is about knowing ourselves in our situations.

Knowing ourselves is the key.

Only in knowing God can we truly know ourselves.

© 2013 S. J. Wickham.