When Out of Control, God Can Anchor Your Emotions

A lady recently wrote to me about the turmoil going on in her life. She described her emotional state as “like waves tossed to and fro.”

Sounds like a lot of moving, doesn’t it? Anxiety can cause emotional instability and when you are unstable, you are most likely to make decisions that you will regret later.

Thinking about her description, I also remembered the Scripture from James 1:5-8. In the first part of the Scripture, he advises us to ask God for wisdom. But then, he gives a warning:

“But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.”

So this lady’s description of her emotional state as like “waves tossed to and fro” tells me that doubt is ruling her mind at the moment. Boy have I been there!

I used to be particularly vulnerable to this emotion around income tax season. Because I am self-employed, I reacted with fear, anxiety and worry over any potential tax bill.

But a few years ago—when I felt my old emotional reactions rise up—something even stronger rose up inside me at the same time. It was like a big stop sign that brought those feelings to a halt by commanding, “Stop. You are not going there.”

This new determination to control my emotions surprised me. And you know what? It felt great!

In that moment, I was determined to set my mind on faith. I would be single-minded. I was determined to trust the situation to God no matter how I felt according to Psalm 55:22: “Cast your burden on the Lord, And He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved.”

God taught me something important during that experience: “Faith is a supernatural act.”

I recently studied the story again of how God commanded the Israelites to go in to possess the Promised Land (see Numbers, chapter 13). Unfortunately, they chose to do the natural thing: They looked at the giants in the land and compared themselves to them. And because they saw themselves smaller in comparison, they reacted with fear and refused to do what God called them to do.

If you limit your mind to the natural, then you narrow the options that God has to change your situation. But if you elevate your mind to the supernatural realm through faith, then you are able to take action based on confidence in God’s care for you.

So keep in mind: When you become single-minded, keeping your mind stayed on God’s word and refuse to be moved, then you open the door for God to move in supernatural ways on your behalf!

This content was excerpted from Kimberly Taylor’s new book The Anxiety Relief Scriptures.

Kimberly Taylor is the author of The Anxiety Relief Scriptures, The Weight Loss Scriptures and many other books. Once 240 pounds and a size 22, she can testify of God’s goodness and healing power. Visit takebackyourtemple.com and receive more free health and weight-loss tips.