Here are the Bible’s antidotes to destructive feelings.
Faith and hope
These go hand in hand. Faith is acting in confidence on belief based upon reality. Our reality is Jesus. As we trust in him, we are capable of “seeing the future.” This brings us to hope. Hope is the anticipation of good that is coming. When we combine faith and hope we act as if the good God has in store for us is already happening. It is.
Love
Love is to will the good of others. To desire good for another and to act upon it. To make choices that bring good in someone else’s life.
Love is not the same as lust, which is to desire for the sake of what we can receive. Love is giving of yourself so that other people receive benefit in their lives. Love produces the healthy feelings we are hoping for. When we are being transformed by Jesus this is what our lives look like. It is a process.
We are loved by God.
We love God.
We love others.
They experience God’s love, and, therefore, love us.
A life filled with love produces feelings of love. Fear, pride, resentment and such are all dying out because we have the power of Jesus to show us we are completely safe in a life with him.
Joy
Joy is a deep sense of well being. We face life knowing all is well in spite of any circumstances of challenge and hardship. Jesus means for us to have a life of joy (John 15:11). This makes it possible for us to be secure in all circumstances. We aren’t on an emotional roller coaster, where every trouble brings feelings of fear and anxiety.
Peace
This word has two meanings.
1. To be at peace with God is to be reconciled to him through Jesus.
2. Peace is also a sense of well being based on confidence in Jesus.
We live in peace when we know God is in charge. Then destructive feelings of anxiety and fear disappear. Not because there is no trouble and pain, but because we face everything from within the Kingdom perspective and can take the long view.
A transformed life has an environment where faith, hope, love, joy and peace can flourish.
Whatever is troubling you recently, what is the absolute worst thing that could happen, as a result? What could God do if that would occur?
