CONSISTENT PERSISTENT AND COMMITTED
Consistency in Emotional Regulation — Choosing Self-Control Over Self-Destruction “Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.” James 1:19–20 (NIV) Family… this one is grown-folk talk.. Emotional regulation isn’t about pretending you’re unbothered. It’s about learning how to be bothered but not “stay” bothered. A lot of us grew up learning how to react, not how to respond. We learned how to defend, explain, snap back, shut down, or blow up—because that’s what survival looked like at the time. So now, when life presses us, those old patterns try to strike a nerve! Emotional regulation is self-control, which is a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22–23). Emotional regulation is knowing how to pause, process, and choose a response instead of reacting off impulse, pain, or pressure. It does not mean: You don’t feel emotions You suppress how you feel You pretend you’re okay You stay silent when something is wrong It does mean: You recognize what you’re feeling You understand why you’re feeling it You choose how to respond in a way that protects your peace, dignity, and purpose. James 1:19–20 tells us to be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry—not because God is trying to silence us, but because He’s trying to protect us. You can feel what you feel, but you still have a responsibility for how you handle it. I had to learn that every emotional reaction comes with a cost. Sometimes it cost mental fatigue Sometimes it costs regret and self-betrayal Sometimes it costs a physical toll on your body And sometimes it costs a loss of peace That’s when God checked me: My reactions weren’t protecting me—they were exhausting me. Consistency in emotional regulation is choosing to slow down every single time, not just when it’s easy. It’s realizing that going off, over-explaining, people-pleasing, or shutting down might bring temporary relief—but long-term damage.