{"id":54524,"date":"2019-05-13T11:20:56","date_gmt":"2019-05-13T08:20:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wingulamashahidi.org\/?p=54524"},"modified":"2025-09-10T10:39:03","modified_gmt":"2025-09-10T07:39:03","slug":"spiritual-traits","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wingulamashahidi.org\/en\/2019\/05\/13\/spiritual-traits\/","title":{"rendered":"SPIRITUAL TRAITS\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"

Shalom!<\/strong> Shalom!<\/strong><\/p>\n

Welcome to this moment of growth and understanding regarding our salvation here on earth.<\/p>\n

Many people assume that once a person gets saved, their mind is completely wiped clean and transformed into something heavenly immediately. As a result, they believe emotions like jealousy, anger, wrath, vengeance, bitterness, hatred, sorrow, and fear<\/strong> should vanish completely. And if those emotions are still present, they conclude that the person hasn\u2019t truly become a new creation.<\/p>\n

I used to pray earnestly asking God to remove these emotions from me. I was troubled, especially when I felt anger rise up in me as a Christian. At times, I even experienced fear. That made me question if I was genuinely saved.<\/p>\n

But as I kept praying without seeing any significant change, the Lord opened my spiritual eyes, and I saw…<\/p>\n

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God Placed These Emotions Within Us<\/strong><\/h3>\n

I realized I had been asking God to remove things He Himself had placed in me<\/strong>, things that are also present in Him<\/strong>. The Bible reveals that God is jealous<\/strong> (Exodus 20:5), God avenges<\/strong> (Deuteronomy 32:35), God gets angry<\/strong> (Nahum 1:2), and God grieves<\/strong> (Ephesians 4:30). These are not evil traits in themselves; they are divine attributes<\/strong> when used in the right way.<\/p>\n

We are created in God’s image<\/strong> (Genesis 1:27). So, the emotional traits we carry are not inherently sinful. God designed them with a good purpose<\/strong>, and they are rooted in love.<\/p>\n

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The Purpose of Emotions Like Jealousy, Fear, and Anger<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Jealousy with a Godly Purpose<\/em><\/h3>\n

Imagine if someone had no jealousy for their spouse. They could watch their wife being abused and feel nothing! But godly jealousy<\/strong> compels us to protect<\/strong> what we love.<\/p>\n

Even Jesus demonstrated righteous jealousy<\/strong> when He saw the temple being turned into a marketplace:<\/p>\n

\u201cThen His disciples remembered that it was written, \u2018Zeal for Your house has eaten Me up.\u2019<\/em>\u201d
\nJohn 2:17<\/strong> (ref. Psalm 69:9)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Jesus overturned the tables and drove out the money changers. That wasn’t sin it was holy passion<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Yet today, many Christians feel nothing when the Gospel is corrupted or mocked. But we get jealous when a co worker gets promoted or when neighbors succeed. That is misplaced jealousy<\/strong>, and it becomes sinful.<\/p>\n

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Fear\u00a0 A Divine Warning System<\/em><\/h3>\n

Fear is not evil when used properly. It protects us. If people had no fear at all, society would collapse people would take reckless actions without considering consequences.<\/p>\n

But as believers, we are called to redirect our fear<\/strong> toward God:<\/p>\n

\u201cBut I will show you whom you should fear: Fear Him who, after He has killed, has power to cast into hell; yes, I say to you, fear Him!\u201d
\nLuke 12:5<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

A holy fear of God keeps us from sin. It restrains us from fornication, lying, corruption, and disobedience.<\/p>\n

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Anger\u00a0 Protective and Purposeful<\/em><\/h3>\n

Anger, when expressed righteously, protects justice and truth<\/strong>. If you had no anger at all, people would abuse you and trample on your rights freely. Even Jesus got angry <\/strong>He didn’t sin, but used anger to confront injustice.<\/p>\n

\u201cBe angry, and do not sin.\u201d
\nEphesians 4:26<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Anger becomes sin only when it\u2019s misused <\/strong>when it’s directed toward people rather than evil, or when it leads to violence or bitterness.<\/p>\n

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Vengeance Redirecting the Desire for Justice<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Vengeance is a strong urge to repay evil. God has placed it in us, but we are not to execute it our way<\/strong>. Instead:<\/p>\n

\u201cBeloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, *\u2018Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,\u2019 says the Lord.\u2019\u201d
\nRomans 12:19<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Instead of seeking revenge on people, we should use that energy to fight the works of Satan<\/strong>. Remember the suffering, confusion, and destruction he caused when you were in sin. Now that you’re saved, you should seek holy vengeance<\/strong> by:<\/p>\n