The fruit of");
document.writeln("the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,");
document.writeln("gentleness and self-control.1
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document.writeln("Imagine living in a world without emotions. It would be like living in a world");
document.writeln("without color\'€”a world without blue skies, white fluffy clouds, red roses, or");
document.writeln("beautiful rainbows and sunsets. Everything would be a dull monotonous gray.");
document.writeln("Life would be deadly dull and boring. This is also the case when we ignore or");
document.writeln("repress our emotions.
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document.writeln("Many of us grew up learning that feelings were not important and that you");
document.writeln("could not trust them. Regardless of how we felt mentally or emotionally, we were");
document.writeln("taught to keep going, put on a positive face, and do this until we made it past");
document.writeln("those negative emotions. For some, feelings of hopelessness or depression meant");
document.writeln("you didn\'€™t have enough faith or that somehow your spiritual life was lacking.");
document.writeln("We were even taught to face the death of a loved one with a positive attitude");
document.writeln("because of the hope of Heaven, all while repressing our true feelings of grief");
document.writeln("and sadness. I praise God for the gift of salvation and the");
document.writeln("hope of being in Heaven with Him one day, however, I am also aware that processing");
document.writeln("through grief is a journey.
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God made us and");
document.writeln("gave us each and every emotion. Emotions are an inner monitor letting us know");
document.writeln("what is going on inside of us. The more we are in touch with our true emotions,");
document.writeln("the more they can inform us when our life is out of harmony and we need an");
document.writeln("emotional tune up, caution us of impending danger, warn us when we are around");
document.writeln("unsafe people, affirm us when we are with safe people, guide us when we have");
document.writeln("major decisions to make, keep us in tune with the Spirit leading us, and assure us when");
document.writeln("our life is in harmony with others and God. Honestly, if we do not understand");
document.writeln("them, they can be quite confusing!
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document.writeln("Life without emotions can be quite boring. So, instead of trying to repress or");
document.writeln("ignore them, let us see them for what they truly are\'€¦ gifts from God to help us");
document.writeln("live a meaningful life.
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document.writeln("Suggested prayer: Dear God, you desire truth in the innermost being, so I ask that");
document.writeln("you please deliver me from denying my true emotions. Help me appreciate my true");
document.writeln("feelings, which are a gift from you, and learn how to understand them and");
document.writeln("express them in healthy ways. Thank you, in the name of Jesus I pray, amen.
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document.writeln("1. Galatians 5:22 (NIV).
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document.writeln("The Encounter for today was written by: Crystal B.
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This and other devotionals by Richard (Dick) Innes can be read online.
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