Lisa Barry: Have you ever wondered what we're to do with our emotions? As Christians, we know that we're not to trust them over the truth of God's Word, but at the same time we have to live with them on a daily basis. Are they inherently wrong or do they just need proper alignment in the spiritual realm? Today on Gateway To Joy Elisabeth Elliot talks about this delicate balance as we continue our quest to thank God for everything always. Let's get started.

Elisabeth Elliot: "You are loved with an everlasting love." That's what the Bible says, "And underneath are the everlasting arms." This is your friend Elisabeth Elliot, talking with you today about giving thanks, Always and For Everything, always and for everything.

Sir Thomas Brown of the 17th century said, "When I survey the occurrences of my life and call into account the finger of God, I can perceive nothing but an abyss and mass of mercies. Those which others term 'crosses, afflictions, judgments, misfortunes,' to me who inquire farther into them than their visible effects, have ever proved the secret dissembled [which means hidden] favors of God's affection."

The afflictions, crosses, judgments and misfortunes are the secret hidden favors of God's affection. Let's learn to praise Him. Psalm 16:5, "Lord, you have assigned me my portion and my cup, and have made my lot secure." Can we be thankful about that?

I had one of those e-mails from a radio listener. She said, "In many instances when I have listened to your radio program, you have dealt with sins, such as a lack of humility and anger with God. In each case you stated that the attitude was wrong and that we should repent and get right with the Lord. I agree completely in this, but I do wonder why you don't express any understanding of the individual's feelings. Although feelings are only temporal and should not be the barometer by which we live our lives, each of us does experience highs and lows. Is it your intention to negate these emotions?

"In my life I've found that I must first express the emotions, and deal with them right or wrong. If I cannot admit that I'm angry with someone, how can I deal with the bitterness? If I cannot express frustrations in a work situation, how can I deal with the lack of humility on my part? Aren't the Psalms, in part, an honest expression to God of David's emotional state? Wasn't Job allowed to honestly express his frustration and depression?"

Well, these are very reasonable questions that this woman named Mary is asking. I certainly don't mean to ignore feelings. I spend more time trying to get people to act more on the basis of will rather than feelings, but God has created us with both faculties, hasn't He, with the will and the emotions.

Our emotions are the servants of our will. We need to remember that. We can choose against our wills. When those feelings rise that may be good or bad, or devastating or whatever, we can bring them under the Lordship of Jesus Christ. It's not just pulling our own bootstraps. It means taking them to the Lord in prayer and getting a right attitude. Choosing a right attitude. If you're tired and overburdened and worried, well, Jesus was tired. He knew that the disciples were tired. He was worried; the disciples were worried... Actually, Jesus was never worried as far as we know.

Jesus wept; that's emotional, isn't it, but it's not wicked. Jesus was angry, with righteous anger.

We're told that in all points He was tempted as we are, yet without sin. The emotion of tenderness He understood. He loved little children. He was kind, especially to women. He had compassion on all. The psalmist has asked, "Why hast thou made me thus," because it's the way God knew that we ought to be made.

In Luke 22 we have the words referring to Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane--being in anguish--that's powerful, overwhelming emotion, but remember what He said later, "Not My will but Thine be done." So He willed against Himself, and He willed the will of His Father.

Yesterday I read an interesting little story from a puritan. There was a father and a son, each of them traveling some 10 or 12 miles to meet the other. The son said to his father, "Father, I'm thankful to God for a very remarkable providence which I have had on my journey. My horse has stumbled three times with me, and yet I am unhurt." The puritan replied, "My dear son, I have to thank God for an equally remarkable providence on my way to you. For my horse did not once stumble all the way."

Do we ever think about thanking God for the things that did not happen that might have happened? Well, when we have a close call with a car perhaps we think then, "Oh wow, was that ever close. Thank you, Lord," but the father here had had a perfectly uneventful trip on his horse, and he was able to thank God for the equally remarkable providence that the horse had not stumbled even once. Interesting, isn't it?

Now suppose you have a close friend on whom you depend. He or she notes a fault and speaks graciously to you. What is your response? The Bible says, "Faithful are the wounds of a friend." In John 10 we read, "His sheep follow Him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger."

I received a card in the mail from a woman who had called me up to ask advice about something. I gave her the advice that I knew. I didn't know the answer to all her questions. I received a very strange card from her. She put this verse, John 10:4-5, "His sheep follow Him because they know His voice. But they will never follow a stranger." Underneath that verse she wrote, "this is good-bye", and signed her name.

I was hurt. The fact that this friend from years ago would decide to cut me off because I had given advice, which apparently she did not appreciate, and then tell me "this is good-bye." Was I supposed to say thank you for that? I had not even thought of giving thanks, but as I was preparing these talks, that card came to my mind. I thought, "Yes, Lord, I'm suppose to say 'thank you' for that."

There are many deaths that a Christian is called to die long before his death day. 2 Corinthians 4 speaks of the deaths that Paul had experienced. In verse 6 he says, "For God, who said, 'Let light shine out of darkness,' made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus."

You know that verse? "We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body. So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you."

It may be that death is at work in you today in some quiet, hidden and perhaps painful situation. Maybe there's a life-long process of death (it looks that way from this text, doesn't it) which any Christian servant must expect and accept and have peace. Why is this? So that the life of Jesus may be revealed in us.

A dear friend of mine in Eastern Europe tells me that she has been called to bring life to others. She realizes that there's a sense in which I, too, understand that. We are, therefore, always being given over to death in order to bring life to others. What's the outcome, misery? No. Freedom, peace and joy. She is one of the most joyful people I have ever known in my life. Perhaps one of the ones who has most deeply suffered. She says this is cause for heartfelt thanksgiving.

Romano Guardini says, "Christ, with all the ardor of His divine nature, brought the holy will of His Father to the world. And what happened? The unthinkable! He was accused and called a criminal and a seducer. The will of God is in danger of contradiction--imperiled, frail, ineffective, left to the mercy of chance apparently. Yet Christ, with all the ardor of His divine nature, brought the holy will of His Father to the world. The will of God appears most frail when it wills what is most holy."

When you cannot find help, remember that you can always give help to somebody. You can always give thanks. When you cannot find help, you can always give help, but only if you're cheerful. We are to give thanks always and for everything.

Lisa Barry: If you'd like a reminder of the things you've heard this week, then you'll want to get a copy of this very practical series. It's called Always and For Everything, and the cost is $5. Before we go let me also tell you about Elisabeth's line of greeting cards that must be seen to be fully appreciated. These are beautifully designed cards, that are appropriate for many occasions. Here's a sampling of titles: "A Word of Promise," "A Word of Life," "A Word of Comfort," "A Word of Thanks." The list goes on. Use them for all occasions, or as a ministry to those who are shut-ins or people going through difficult times.

For information on how to purchase them, you can call us toll-free at 1-800-759-4JOY. That's 1-800-759-4569. Have you found us on-line yet? You'll find everything there is to know about Gateway To Joy on our Web site. That address is gatewaytojoy.org. You can also write to us at Gateway To Joy, Box 82500, Lincoln, NE 68501. That's Gateway To Joy, Box 82500, Lincoln, NE 68501.

Gateway To Joy is a listener-supported production of Back to the Bible. Tomorrow Elisabeth Elliot reveals a tough assignment that is only possible through Christ. Find out what that is next time on Gateway To Joy.