Your Feelings Are Real—But They Don’t Have to Run Your Life | Keep Talking

In this message, Pastor Ryan kicked off a new series called “All the Feels,” where he shared how to examine our expectations and our emotions as we step into the holiday season. Use this guide to keep talking about how to keep your emotions in check and your heart centered on what matters most this Christmas.   

SERMON HIGHLIGHTS

• Our emotions don’t have to determine our experience. 
• We can’t always control what we feel, but we can choose what we think about and how we behave.
• “The ultimate freedom we have as human beings is the power to select what we will allow our minds to dwell upon.” — Dallas Willard
• “Our lives move in the direction of our strongest thoughts.” — Craig Groeschel
• The loudest voice in your life is the one in your head, so make sure it tells the truth. 
• Activity does not equal intimacy.
• We don’t suppress our feelings—we submit them to Jesus. 

KEY SCRIPTURES

• Luke 10:38-42
• 2 Corinthians 10:5

START TALKING 

• What’s a holiday moment that hit you with all the feels—laughter, tears, frustration, nostalgia, or all of the above at once (e.g., tangled lights, tree falling over, cooking disasters, etc.)?  

KEEP TALKING

• Finish this sentence: When I think of Christmas this year, I feel ______________. 
• In Luke 10:41, Jesus told Martha she was “anxious and troubled about many things.” When you think about Martha’s emotional state, what parts of her experience feel most relatable to you right now—and why?
• Doing things FOR God is not the same as being WITH God. Where do you see yourself confusing busyness with closeness to God, and what would help you slow down enough to actually experience Him?
• Read 2 Corinthians 10:5. What would it look like for you to “take your thoughts captive” this season—in a real and practical way? 
• Just like Mary chose “what is better,” we also have a choice this month. If you were to intentionally choose the “better thing” this season, what would that look like in your schedule, your mindset, or your relationships?

KEEP IT GOING

• Take a few minutes this week to reflect on these questions:
  • What is one emotion you need to express honestly to Jesus?
  • What is one thought you need to take captive?
  • What is one practical step you can take to prioritize God’s presence over pressure this season?

Allow your responses to set the tone for the rest of December!  

PRAYER

Father, thank you for being Emmanuel—God with us. In a season filled with all kinds of emotions, help us choose the better thing. Teach us to submit our feelings to you, to take our thoughts captive, and to draw close to your presence. May intimacy with you shape everything we do this season. Give us rest for our souls and peace for our minds as we sit at your feet. Amen.