Emotions- The All-Encompassing Excuse for our Actions

So, I've been thinking about Access218 (the college group at my church) recently. Mostly I'm wondering what it's going to be like come this Fall. the group has recently been through, and is going through a lot of change, with three of our main leaders becoming less active, ranging from starting new ministries to traveling to new continents! So, we're in the process of finding a new Student Minster for our group and seeing what it's going to look like. And, honestly, I'm needing a little bit of extra help right now (on top of the tons of grace He gives me every day).

Because, frankly, I don't want this group to change. I've met amazing people this year, and just knowing Access was there for me was an amazing safety net for me this year, beginning my college experience. I was looking forward to growing with the ministry in the next few years, and I'm nervous that it won't be what I hope for from it.

In fact, I'm so busy hoping that everything will work out for me that I'm not looking at the amazing opportunities being given to the people around me. I'm not thinking about the new and vital ways people around the world are going to be affected by the vision God has planted in Access. I'm not thinking about God's vision for my life and I'm definitely not looking at His plan for others.

And I think that this is a trap that we're in great trouble of falling into: the trap of emotions. Emotions are important, and a good indicator of how we are feeling, but I know that I at least am constantly in danger of trusting them too much. Expressing your emotions is so much a part of our culture. We are loud and blunt and sure that we are entitled to express our emotions in whatever way we feel. Actions that would never be acceptable normally are excused because of the way we are feeling. It is an unspoken right.

And I'm not saying that we need to ignore our emotions. On the contrary, we should be fully aware of them. But I know that I need to take a little time to come to terms with them and then take all the leftover time and put it towards praying and taking action if the situation needs to be changed and enjoying it if it doesn't need to be changed, and praising God either way for His plan in my life, and my community, and my country, and my world.

Because how can I praise god if I'm too busy being angry or fearful to speak to Him?