How to Control Your Emotions When You’re Having a Bad Day

As Christian women, we are supposed to have an unshakable faith that always hopes and perseveres, but in times of trials how many of us can say this has been our undeniable truth?  I can’t unfortunately.  

There are times when our flesh makes us very, VERY weak & I know that I fall short of being righteous and faith filled pretty much on a daily basis.   Even as I’m driving down the street I sometimes find myself losing my cool with ‘non-drivers’ and there isn’t much brotherly love encompassed in the eye roll or words said about the slow poke ahead of me.

Emotions are not always very forgiving and if we allow them to guide us through life we should be prepared for a bumpy ride.  I find myself taking rides on emotional roller coasters every now and then when I don’t practice self-awareness. Normally, I’m up and think life is pretty great, but then there are times like this morning, when I just feel meh about everything.

This morning I woke up feeling off as if nothing seemed right.  There was no dramatic horrible event that occurred, I just felt blah about it all and as I found myself late for an appointment because I was still scrambling to find something to wear I lost my cool.  I was frustrated as I tossed my third outfit aside & held back the tears that were inevitably surfacing.  Then I began thinking about the past year, about the death of my father who I missed terribly and my grandmothers death and the demise of yet another relationship.  I began to dwell on the fact that I was 41 and alone and very well could be for the remainder of my life.  I was knee deep in the quick-sandish pull of a full blown pity party and it all just seemed to crash in on me for no other reason than that it was another morning.  

Do you ever feel that way?  Do you ever just want to explode into a ball of tears or anger just because?  

So how do we get out of a funk?  I believe the first step is to be okay with where we are and recognize that sometimes going through the storm, the sadness or anger is the only way out.  So feel the frustration, cry through the pain, don’t deny your feelings but find your way out by determining why you feel this way.  This can be done through prayer, self-reflection and in some cases counseling. 

There isn’t always an obvious reason for unexplained feelings of sadness, frustration or anger but dig around because there usually is one lurking behind the scenes.  For me, many times it’s a spiritual alarm, alerting me to some soul work that’s needed, or it could just be hormones or sleep deprivation.  When in a situation where your emotions seem to be out of whack take inventory of what’s currently going on in your life, is there a situation that you know needs to change, a job you need to leave, a relationship that needs to end or do you simply need time to breath, have fun and relax? 

Many times, we fight internal battles simply because we refuse to do what God is demanding of us.  We may not want to quit a comfy job that leaves our wallets full of money but our sense of purpose empty or we may want to eat all the donuts instead of possessing self-control.  This is the weakness of our flesh when it doesn’t have the strength to submit to God. If your flesh is constantly at war with your spirit there will never be peace.

God tells us that when we come to him we can have peace, even in the midst of storms (or blah days).  So when you feel blah or sad for no reason why not make Him your first go to?  It makes sense right? But I don’t always turn to him first, in fact I didn’t this morning until I simmered down and remembered who was in control (hint: it’s not us).  None of us are walking this thing out perfectly, although that’s the goal, but we can walk it out intentionally.  We can be intentional about creating such a relationship with God that we run to Him first no matter what because He is always first on our minds. 

So, here’s to you having your best days ahead of you!  And on days when you just can’t seem to find any silver linings, here’s to God opening your eyes to see the beauty in gray clouds, stormy skies and blah days.

God Bless,
Court

Here are a few bible verses that I repeated to myself today that helped me get out of a funk. I hope they help you as well!  Also, make sure you’re subscribed to our email list because July’s study focuses on controlling your emotions!

• Psalm 32: 8 – I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.
• Jeremiah 29:11 – For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future
• Psalm 18:16-19 – He reached down from on high and took hold of me; he drew me out of deep waters. He rescued me from my powerful enemy, from my foes, who were too strong for me. They confronted me in the day of my disaster, but the Lord was my support. He brought me out into a spacious place; he rescued me because he delighted in me.
• Romans 8:28 – And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
• Ecclesiastes 7:14  When times are good, be happy; but when times are bad, consider this: God has made the one as well as the other. Therefore, no one can discover anything about their future.

WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU’RE HAVING A BLAH DAY? Let’s talk about it, comment below!