Learning to steady your moods by drawing closer to God
Our moods can rise and fall like the tide, sometimes calm and steady, other times overwhelming and all-consuming. Yet, even in the ebb and flow of emotion, God remains constant: inviting us to bring every feeling to Him and find steadiness in His presence.
Experiencing different moods is part of being a human. This is where you feel or think something either negative or positive that affects your emotional state. The danger comes when emotions become volatile or over-intense and begin to rule you. Self-control does not deny the reality of mood swings but it deals with them in a way that is safe for you and protects your relationships with others. Your reaction to what you’ve just read may tell you a little bit about your own present emotional state.
Moodiness: ‘the quality of changing your moods suddenly and becoming angry or unhappy easily; a mysterious or slightly sad quality’ (Cambridge Dictionary)
• ‘Only the disciplined ones in life are free. If you are undisciplined, you are a slave to your moods and your passions’ – Eliud Kipchoge
• ‘We are constituted so that simple acts of kindness, such as giving to charity or expressing gratitude, have a positive effect on our long-term moods. The key to the happy life, it seems, is the good life: a life with sustained relationships, challenging work, and connections to community’ – Paul Bloom
• ‘I suppose I am a very melancholy person’ – Alexander McQueen
Danger If Neglected
Fashion designer Alexander McQueen explored themes of spirituality and death in his designs but kept his beliefs private. The youngest of six children, he revealed that he was abused by a brother-in-law when very young. Despite achieving great success, he took his own life aged 40. This came just eight days after his mother’s death. There are sadly many others prone to melancholy who went on to take their own lives. If moodiness takes over, melancholy can move in and a whole life can be endangered. If mental health becomes affected, the vortex pull of depression can drag people over the edge and into a dark black hole.
Know Yourself
Knowing yourself is to make more sense of ‘what makes you tick’! You could describe it as a key to personal growth and authentic living. Looking at this will give you a better understanding of your values, strengths, weaknesses, emotions, and motivations. Getting to truly know yourself is not an easy process but life experiences and friends are a help. Even then we often feel out of our depth. Whilst self-awareness is valuable, it still cannot lift a person out of the depths. However, take a look at this slightly ‘tongue-in-cheek’ self-awareness help.
Scores
0 – 20 You seem to be an emotionally stable person. People are likely to draw strength from you and come to you when they are struggling.
21 – 50 Things can occasionally throw you but you are pretty good at managing them. You understand your emotions quite well and have strategies for dealing with them.
51 – 80 Your feelings can overtake you but you usually recognise when that is happening and can pull back from outbursts or sulky behaviour. Sometimes you find this harder than others.
81 – 100 Emotions easily overpower you and risk healthy interaction with others. You may realise when this is happening but there are occasions when you need to talk things through with a friend you can trust to bring a calming perspective.
Calling Out
When in trouble, it’s time to call out. Flookburgh and Morecombe Bay in the UK are well-known for the dangers of quicksand – these are able to trap people and suck them down to a gory death. A retired couple were in big trouble but their cries were heard by an off-duty fire officer who brought in a rescue team involving a hovercraft. If they had not have called out, they would have vanished never to enjoy a long retirement.
Who To Call
You may be in a remote place emotionally and it’s then that you should call out to God. Even if you’ve not given Him much time before, He is eager to help for His nature is always to show mercy. It takes honesty about your situation and humility to seek help, to look higher and to call out to God. When anyone experiences a bout of poor mental health, they need to be wary of the ‘quicksand dangers’ associated with it. King David is one of many people who did this:
- ‘Please listen, God, and answer my prayer! I feel hopeless, and I cry out to you from a faraway land. Lead me to the mighty rock high above me’ – Psalm 61:1-3
Can you identify with him? Perhaps the ground around you feels like a quagmire. If the ground underneath feel solid, that’s something to be thankful for but maybe this could be a prompt to encourage someone else you know who is going through a tough time.
When to Call
When crisis hits, timing is vital. If you suspect someone is having a heart attack or a stroke, the time to call for medical help is NOW. If symptoms are caught early and treated with appropriate medication and lifestyle changes, the crisis can be prevented. The parallel is obvious. Don’t leave it until you have sunk waist-deep or it may be too late as panic sets in and a clear mind deserts you. When the Apostle Peter started sinking rapidly in dangerous waters, he called out straight away, ‘Lord save me’. Straight away, Jesus reached out and restored Peter (Matthew 14:22-32). The result was that Peter’s faith was deepened and he worshipped Jesus.
Three Troubled Guys
Now here’s a trio for you – Nehemiah, Elijah, Jeremiah!
Nehemiah received bad news so he ‘sat down, wept and mourned’. Elijah was intimidated so he ran away and hid in a cave. Jeremiah is known as ‘the weeping prophet’ as he wrestled with feelings of inadequacy, depression, doubt and despair. All very human and yet each one of them was greatly used by God. The positive takeaway here is that God can deal with every insecurity and mood that we might ever have. Whatever you may be feeling now or sometime in the future, ask God to help you as these three did.
Dealing With Moods
If you are a follower of Christ Jesus, you can manage your moods through honest self-awareness, prayerful surrender, and anchoring your emotions in God’s truth and presence.
Here are eight practical, scripture-rooted steps to help you do this:
1. Recognize and Name Your Emotions
• Psalm 139:1–2 reminds us that God knows our thoughts and feelings intimately.
• Pause and name what you’re feeling—anger, sadness, anxiety, joy. Journaling or praying aloud can help clarify your inner state.
2. Bring Your Emotions to God in Prayer
• 1 Peter 5:7 says, ‘Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.’
• Philippians 4:6–7 urges us to present our requests to God with thanksgiving, promising peace in return.
• Pray honestly, even if your emotions feel messy. God welcomes lament, praise, and everything in between.
3. Anchor Yourself in Scripture
• Psalm 119:105 calls God’s Word a lamp to our feet and a light to our path.
• Meditate on verses that speak to your current mood. For anxiety, try Isaiah 41:10; for anger, Proverbs 15:1; for sadness, Matthew 11:28.
4. Renew Your Mind
• Romans 12:2 encourages transformation through the renewal of your mind.
• Replace reactive thoughts with truth. For example, instead of ‘I’m overwhelmed,’ say, ‘God is my refuge and strength’ (Psalm 46:1).
5. Seek Support from Faithful Community
• Galatians 6:2 calls us to ‘carry each other’s burdens.’
• Share your emotional struggles with trusted believers. Their empathy and prayer are great supports.
6. Identify Triggers and Patterns
• Proverbs teaches that wisdom includes understanding our ways (Proverbs 4:7).
• Reflect on what situations tend to stir certain moods. Journaling or talking with a mentor can help you spot patterns.
7. Practice Forgiveness and Grace
• Ephesians 4:32 urges us to be kind and forgive, just as God forgave us.
• Release bitterness or resentment. Forgiveness often brings emotional freedom.
8. Cultivate Hope and Perspective
• Romans 8:28 assures us that God works all things for good.
• When moods feel overwhelming, remind yourself of God’s bigger story. Gratitude and worship can shift your emotional focus.
The caveat in this is to acknowledge times when mental health is hit by illness and intervention by clinicians is required. In moments when a person needs medical help, this Booster would encourage you to seek it and not to change prescribed medications without professional guidance.
Phil Wickham has written a great song for reflection entitled ‘Living Hope’. If you’ve got a few minutes to reflect on this Booster, you may find it helpful to listen along to it.
For future reading: Stress – Connect4Life; Casting Your Cares Upon The Lord | C4L