CWF Mood Sector

By Steffi Gerber

The Bible and Emotions

The Bible acknowledges a wide range of human emotions, including joy, sorrow, anger, and peace. For instance, Ecclesiastes 3:1–4 reminds us that there is a time for every season, emphasizing that emotions are a natural part of life.

Mood generally refers to emotions of longer duration, which settle in for a while—like a rainy season. Emotions, on the other hand, refer to a person’s immediate feelings and are more transient, like an afternoon thunderstorm (Nikles, 2010).

The Role of the Holy Spirit

In Galatians 5:22–23, the fruits of the Spirit—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control—highlight the spiritual aspect of managing emotions.

Sometimes, I don’t feel or see the fruit of the Holy Spirit growing within me. Overpowered by strong emotions—like thunderstorms of anger or panic—I often feel ashamed and defeated afterward. How can God help me?

In my case, dealing with anxiety at night, the change—the fruit of the Holy Spirit—did not come overnight. My wailing prayers over several years brought no noticeable change. Spiritual warfare prayers did not bring change. Learning about the nature of emotions (e.g., primary and secondary emotions, recognizing and facing my anxiety, and being kind to myself (TTT method), learning about the “roundabout” etc still did not bring the peace I was longing for. Even personal counseling, where I worked on underlying beliefs and past experiences, did not help. At some point, things even worsened when menopause hit.

I had enough.

During a silent retreat, while wrestling with God, I received Deuteronomy 31:5–6:
“The Lord will deliver them to you… Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”

And I believed it. With boldness—using the Word of God—and with kindness toward myself, I began practicing this almost every night for the last two years. Whenever my nervous system was triggered (and still is, at times), I realign my thoughts with God’s truth and apply His love to myself by speaking kindly to the anxious part of me, for as long as needed.

Sometimes, our brains take a long time to unlearn and re-learn. Even when it takes time—it can learn! It’s our decision to turn our eyes toward God’s loving face and to practice bringing our wailing—however weak our trust may be—into His presence. Romans 12:2 encourages believers to be transformed by the renewing of their minds. This transformation can lead to a healthier emotional state.

Disclaimer: As a counselor, it helped me to understand the nature of panic attacks and appropriate response techniques. I was also in contact with a psychiatrist during this time in case medical support was needed. Reflection: This is my story. What is yours? What type of emotional storms or mood-season is challenging you? How about seeing it as an invitation from God to trust Him deeper. Where would this perspective lead you?