Conundrum of Emotions
By Kristen Terrette
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” Galatians 5:22
Death can trigger simultaneous yet contradictory emotions.
A while back, the many cars parked in front of a neighbor’s house suggested potential tragedy. The elderly woman in the home had been on hospice care for some time, so I knew the vehicles were not a good sign. I felt deep sorrow for her husband and children, as well as joy for her because she was a Christian and therefore was now with Jesus.
It was a strange conundrum of emotions until I realized sorrow was a feeling and joy was the fruit of the Spirit, a gift He’d placed inside me that wasn’t dependent on any circumstances. The Spirit in me celebrated my neighbor’s arrival home, while I felt blue over her departure from earth.
Sadness, anger, impatience, and anxiety are temporary. The “fruits of the Spirit,” however, are eternal and are produced by Him. They endure and remain even during hard times.
We must go through each day grabbing ahold of the fruits given to us by God and letting go of the emotions that leave us momentarily unsatisfied, heartbroken, or unworthy. Search for “love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” during your day. Those are everlasting gifts we can cling to despite our current situations. Demonstrate these gifts to others and seek them in all the trying things the world throws at you.
Kristen Terrette holds a Master's degree in Theological Studies and served as a Children's Ministry Director for five years. She cherishes her Southern roots and currently lives 45 minutes outside of Atlanta, GA. She’s following her dream by writing Christian fiction during the day and being a wife and mom come early afternoon when the family starts to arrive home. She also serves on the Wholly Loved Ministriesteam, serves at her local church on the women's leadership team, and writes for Crosswalk.com. To see her blog and novels, check out her website.
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