The more I think about it, the more I’m convinced that people’s lives are driven by their emotions more than they realize.

We like to think that we’re rational creatures who thoughtfully govern all our decisions and actions.  But the reality, I believe, is quite different.  So often it’s our feelings that drive us in one direction or another.  And those feelings can often lead us to do some foolish things.

The big role that feelings play in our lives should not be surprising when we realize all the attention that the Bible gives to different emotions.  Anger, guilt, bitterness, peace, joy, and hope are just a sample of the many emotions that the Bible addresses.

It’s interesting, too, that the Bible shows us that there’s an important relationship between the two most powerful emotions of them all – fear and love – when it says, “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. . .” (1 Jn.4:18).

Understanding this relationship will go a long way in helping you prevent negative emotions from leading you astray.

Just about every negative emotion you can think of is related to fear.  Take anger, for example.  Beneath the anger that people often possess is usually some fear — like the fear of losing control or having one’s faults exposed.

At the same time, just about every positive emotion is related to love.  People who have lives characterized by peace and joy, for example, are those who are secure in the fact that they are loved, and able to love others.

Once you see this connection, you can see how important it is to have your life oriented according to love rather than fear.

Let’s say you are having a bad day.  You begin to fear things will get worse.  Because you’re fearful you isolate yourself with your thoughts and begin getting angry about your circumstances  – and you start  to show that anger toward others around you.  Then, you say or do some dumb things, and now you’re afraid of what those consequences will be!

How do you break out of this pattern?  Love.  “Perfect love casts out fear.”

Though your love is not perfect, God’s is.  He has shown this in giving His Son so that those who trust Him have no condemnation to fear (Rom.8:1).  And not only that, they may be assured that no matter what trial we may face, nothing will separate us from from His love (Rom.8:38,39).

Does this mean that you will be immune to fear and worry?  No.

But it does mean that when these emotions seek to dominate your life, you know what to do with them.  You can cast them far away from you as you trust God and His love dwelling in you through His Son, Jesus Christ.