Shaming of theTrue 

A fresh and unique blending of two traditionally disconnected topics---spirituality and sports. Follow Sly Young as he attempts to accomplish the feat of playing professionally in the three major sports using positive character traits taught through scripture.

  

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4-17-10
                            Keeping Emotions In Check 

PSALM 30:5— For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.

When trying to explain the importance of this “fruit of the Spirit”—joy—it is regularly confused with the emotion of happiness.

Love, joy, peace, longsuffering (patience), gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and temperance (self-control) is the list of “fruits”. None of these things are related to how you feel at a particular moment. We are very easily persuaded to act in a way that is directly correlated to how we feel. There is a very important distinction between your feelings dictating how you act and handling your emotions in positive ways.

Let me explain my point. The first part of the scripture describes the human emotion of anger. If we are to be God-like in dealing with anger it can only last for a moment. Even Jesus showed righteous anger when he turn out the temple. The point is to not become an angry person or retain anger as a part of your character. God admits to times of emotional moments but the positive character trait (favor) is what last a lifetime.

Even though the emotion of anger is viewed as a somewhat harmful emotion, the premise is the  same for the happiness, a totally different type of emotion. Emotions are too many times momentary and dependant on external factors. Too many people honestly believe that  something or somebody is in someway responsible for happiness. In a romantic relationship one partner looks for the other to make them happy. Bad move! You must learn that happiness is an emotion that comes and goes. If I continue to believe that another person is the basis, then obviously when they leave, for whatever reason, I am no longer happy. The same is true of material things like money, cars, or clothes. If for some reason these things are removed then I have weeping for longer than the designated “moment”

Happiness must come from within and when you are able to establish that important fact then you are on your way to joy. Human emotions are just that—HUMAN. We all must learn to deal with them in positive ways. Most coaches would try and teach their athletes to remain at an even keel as much as possible. The emotions of sports tend to produce really high highs and extremely low lows. The athlete who can withstand these times and stay consistent will always be at an advantage. Surely momentum changes can create different ebbs and flows that effect performance but in the word momentum is our word moment. If you are able to endure momentum shifts, good and bad, the moment always passes. The players who can consistently produce regardless of the momentum are truly valuable.

Good things will happen in a contest, as well as adversity. The better athletes are able to draw strength from the inside, sometimes called “intestinal fortitude”, to handle both situations. Outside factors do not control how they perform! That is the difference between externally motivated happiness and internal state of happiness—joy. When the situation is unpleasant, not pleasurable, or just plain hard on you, you must count it all joy (James 1:2). This simply means to know that the circumstance is temporary. The internal state of joy will enable you to maintain a positive attitude when faced with the momentary condition.

Without knowledge that your joy comes from within, some folks fall into the trap of self pity. They allow the external adversity to create an emotion, which is totally normal. God’s directive is to remember that greater is the joy on the inside than the worldly situation on the outside. Let the feelings run the momentary course (a night). Then consistently maintain your great attitude with joy. The pattern of sustaining joy in your life is quite clear. External is temporary, internal is for life. Emotions are temporary, character is for life. Anger is temporary, favor is for life. Weeping is but for a moment but joy is for life. What a wonderful God. He will always send joy in the morning if you DEVELOP IT and COUNT ON IT.

                                                                                                        
                                                                                                  Fred Tudor

Fred Tudor is a twenty-two year employee of the Cincinnati Public Schools as a Health and Physical Education teacher. He has been coaching at the high school level in Greater Cincinnati since graduating from Wittenberg University in 1979. His coaching stints includes stops at his alma mater Walnut Hills High School, Hughes Center High School, and from 1990 until present coaches at Wyoming High School. His church home is Cincinnati Bibleway Church in Madisonville, Apostles James and Grace Blue Pastors. Contact Information: 513.328.2767 E-Mail: Info@CincySportsWorld.com