Emotions Deactivated

“Captain”, said Data, “I am feeling excited, thrilled, ….”
The captain interrupted, “I suggest you deactivate your emotions right now.”
“It’s done”, Data replied.
Then the captain looked at him enviously and said, “Data, there are times when I envy you!”

Wouldn’t it be absolutely awesome if we had the ability to deactivate our emotions at times? Ladies? Are you with me here?

Data is an Android (robot that looks human) in Star Trek The Next Generation; and he is exceptionally smart and devoid of emotions, therefore he usually makes excellent deductions, especially in problem solving matters.

Problems in our lives can sometimes fall on us like hail during stormy weather or it can attack us like bugs in the summer. It is even more troublesome when you are really trying your best to do the right thing and you feel like you are being bombarded from all angles. You feel like screaming, you feel like hurting, and you probably can’t help but feel like cursing!! May I suggest you deactivate your emotions at this point! Not so easy is it? How many of us nodded our heads in the affirmative?

Yes, initially I thought that was an impossibility for us being humans and made up of mind, body, and soul. But then I consider that our awesome, all powerful, all knowing, all seeing God made us in His image. He did not hold back from us, He gave us all that we need to live controlled lives. He asked nothing of us that is impossible, so when the Apostle Paul, empowered by Jesus Himself, tells us to “...let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful” [Colossians 3:15], I must believe that it is possible to deactivate my emotions! The “peace of God” mentioned here, enables us to have control over our emotions. We are even more empowered than Data, the Android, as we have the capacity to express good emotions and the power to squash those that are not good. We need to believe that we can have that type of peace in ANY situation, once we are committed to allowing God to guide us.

Never forget that God will give us the means to accomplish anything He asks of us. Our greatest responsibility lies in controlling our own emotions and emotional responses to people, events, and circumstances in our lives. Once we get this under control, we would have won half the battle! We need to develop strong relationships with God to allow Him to work through us to tackle this monumental (in our human eyes) task of keeping our emotions (the negative ones usually) in check.

When we find ourselves wishing for that “emotions deactivate button”, let us remember Jesus Christ on the cross! He had the power to speak one word to silence all those jeering Him, slapping Him, and laughing at Him. But He did not. Not because He was weak, not because He was scared, but because He was focused on His mission and maintained His peace. He kept His emotions under control, because He was determined to give us HOPE! Data deactivated his emotions and was unable to fulfill his mission. How about us? Are we going to grasp the peace that the Lord has left here for us and use it to help us on our mission? I pray we do!!

Thank you all for reading and responding. God bless!!


Melanie

By the way, Data can easily deactivate his emotions, but I failed to tell you that those emotions aren’t just negative ones, he is also devoid of love and can be extremely cold ……. Jesus Christ provides the right balance we need in our lives. Take hold, Dear Readers, of the HOPE - Help Overflowing Powerful and Eternal – we have in Christ.