MINDSET AND EMOTIONS

*This Adventist Youth Program Ideas is based and inspired on Chapter 6 of the book Mind, Character and Personality Volume 1.

At one end of a line, we see some people thinking that religion is something that tyrannical. You see no smiles on their faces, they seem strict and are very stern. They consider amusement and recreation as a sin. This is one extreme.

On the other end of the line is another extreme. These are the people who think that they need to come up with new amusements and diversions in order to gain health and be happy. They learn to depend on excitement and are very uneasy without it.

This statement is very true inside our churches. We have youth members who are at the start very zealous and enthusiastic but gradually faded into being either extremely stern or extremely compromising of the principles of faith. And some may just stop going to church altogether after being “hurt” or told off by other church members. These are all extreme mindsets and emotions and thus must be learned to control and change.

Activity

Group participants into four to five groups based on their seating arrangements. Provide a sheet of paper and a pen for them to write their answers on the following questions:

1. List down ways on how to keep the zeal and enthusiasm without it fading quickly.
2. How to deal with “sensitive’ church members.
3. What does “principle over emotions” means?

Allow group representatives to present to the rest of the congregation their answers. Youth leader can ask each team to sing a song first before sharing their answers. Songs can be centered on the theme HAPPINESS.

Take down note on points made by different groups. Reinforce their ideas later on.

Closing remarks/conclusion

A well balanced mindset requires that we:

• Study the word of God. The mind should be carefully and wisely taught to dwell upon Bible truth and to gain knowledge of how we can glorify God. Education has failed unless the understanding has learned to grasp the truths of divine revelation and unless the heart accepts the teaching of the Gospel of Christ.
• Do not be controlled by feelings and emotions. All who labor in the vineyard of the Lord must learn that feeling is not faith.
• A firm genuine faith. To be in a state of elevation is not required. But we need to have a firm faith in the Word of God.
• Obedience to God’s laws. Present in clear lines the need in obeying the law of God.
• Exercise caution. Others might be lead astray because of out strong traits of characters that might misrepresent the principles of truth.
• Humbly correct every error that exists in our thoughts and actions, lest we corrupt the Word of God. Let us not give the excuse of being being born into the characters we have now that we are unable to change. Because he/she who truly loves and fears God, and is striving to do His will, will strive to place his body, mind, his heart, his soul, his strength under the service to God. Like how Enoch walked with God.
• Pray for each other that each one of us can win the battles against ourselves and defeat influences and temptations that might counteract all the goodness we have gained through Christ.
• Exercise the mind. All minds are not alike but they all can be strengthened and cultivated (though and with the help of God) they would become strong. Change and reformation is possible. The natural appetites and passions are to be brought under the control of the conscience and the spiritual affections. Let not your mind dwell on trivial matters.
• In order to preserve the balance of the mind, labor and study should be united. The means of improvement are all within our reach. A resolute purpose, sanctified by the grace of Christ, will do wonders.

Our present time now requires Christians who have well-balanced minds, healthy and wholesome.

Each and everyone of us are brought together but we had different minds, different education, different training, different upbringing – and we do not expect that every mind will run right in the same channel, but the question is, are we not several branches of one parent vine?

If we are, we may have different manners, different tones, and different voices. We may view things from one standpoint, and we may have ideas different from one another.

In all the Lord’s arrangements there is nothing more beautiful than His plan of giving men and women a diversity of gifts. Many have received but limited/different religious and intellectual gifts, but God has work for each one if we labor on humility and trust in HIM.

It is not our duty make every other Christian exactly like ourselves…

God reproves men because He loves us. He wants us to be strong in His strength, to have well balanced minds and symmetrical characters to be examples to the flock of God, to lead and inspire others by precept and example, nearer to heaven.

The true principles of Christianity open before all source of happiness, the height and depth, the length and breadth of which are immeasurable.

It is Christ in us a well of water springing up into everlasting life.

Continue to be a blessing,

Chummie