Ever had a day when your emotions felt like they were running the show? Me too.

You feel one wrong word away from falling apart, and you’re not alone. Singer and songwriter Hope Darst gets it. In a recent interview with the KSBJ Morning Show, she shared:

“I have been very open about struggling with anxiety. I am very familiar with feelings wanting to be the master of my heart and my mind. But, you cannot serve your feelings and simultaneously serve the truth of God.” | Hope Darst

That hit me. Because on my hardest days, it’s so easy to feel like my emotions are steering the ship. But God doesn’t leave us there. He gives us practical ways to handle the overwhelm without pretending it’s not there.

Here are three reminders for the next time your emotions try to take over.

1. Try to understand the feeling before escaping it.

Your emotions aren’t the enemy. God made you with the full range of them on purpose. The important takeaway here is not to dwell in your feelings.

Philippians 4:8 reminds us to focus on:

“whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure.”

That doesn’t mean slapping on a fake smile and ignoring pain, like putting duct tape on a sinking boat.

Instead, slow down and ask yourself:

Why am I feeling this way?
Where is this coming from?

Sometimes you’ll get an answer. Sometimes you won’t, and that’s where God’s truth steps in to steady you when your feelings can’t.

2. Surround yourself with grounded people.

You were never meant to do life alone. Even Jesus gathered His disciples.

When you feel overwhelmed, talk to someone who’s rooted in truth and faith. Notice I didn’t just say “anyone” because if you’re picking fruit from a tree that already know produces bitterness, you won’t like what you get.

Find the people who will pray with you, speak truth over you, and remind you who you are when you forget.

3. Pray honestly.

This one sounds simple, but take a second and ask yourself, when was the last time I truly cried out to God?

That doesn’t have to mean tears (though it can). It’s about laying it all at His feet and saying, “Here, it’s Yours. I can’t take this anymore.” Just you being real before the One who already knows your heart. This is one of the most healing things you can do.

Your emotions don’t have to be the boss of you. They can inform you without ruling you.

Next time your emotions threaten to take over, pause. Ask God for His perspective. Let the people who love Him remind you of who you are. And keep talking to the One who sees it all and still calls you His beloved.

Watch Hope Darst Sing “Mighty Name of Jesus” LIVE