Who’s Really In Charge Of Your Life Your Emotions or God

A Question Worth Sitting With 

Have you ever had a day where your emotions felt like they were running the entire show?

One moment you’re calm—maybe even enjoying a quiet cup of coffee.
The next moment, there’s a spilled drink, a defiant “NO!” from your tween, and suddenly your chest feels tight, your patience is gone, and peace feels completely out of reach.

If that sounds familiar, let me gently say this: you are not alone.

I remember standing in my kitchen one afternoon, completely frozen.
The kids were bickering. Laundry was piled high. Dinner wasn’t even a plan yet. And I just… broke.

Through tears I remember thinking:

Who is actually in charge of my life right now?
Is it me?
Is it my emotions?
Or is it my circumstances?

That moment felt like being tossed around on a stormy sea with no control.
But what I discovered next changed everything—not just for me, but for my family.

When Emotions Start Calling the Shots

Mama, let’s be honest.

Motherhood—especially during the tween years—can feel like an emotional rollercoaster.

One moment you’re overwhelmed with love for your child.
The next moment you’re clenching your jaw over muddy shoes on a clean floor.

There are highs—eye-to-eye, heartfelt conversations.
And then there are lows—mom guilt, frustration, anxiety over doing everything right.

The weight of it all can make you feel like everything depends on you.

And on the hardest days, it’s easy to believe the lie:

• I’m failing.

• I’m not a good enough mom.

• I’m not a good enough Christian.

Slowly, your emotions stop feeling like signals… and start feeling like the boss.

But here’s the truth we often forget:

Your emotions were never meant to be in the driver’s sea.

My Breaking Point (That Built Over Time)

This wasn’t one dramatic moment on one particular day.
It was a realization that slowly formed over the years.

It showed up in the same screen-time conversation I’d had with my tween daughter a hundred times before.
Same boundary.
Same resistance.

But over time, her eye-rolls started to feel personal.
Her sighs felt like verdicts on my motherhood.

I’d feel the heat rise in my face.
I wanted to scream.
I wanted to cry.
I wanted to walk away and win the argument—at the same time.

And it never seemed to happen in isolation.

There would be crumbs crushed into the rug.
Another mess waiting to be cleaned.
Another small reminder that I was already running on empty.

As I moved through those moments—over and over again—I began to notice something deeper than frustration settling in.

A sense of powerlessness.

Powerless over my daughter’s attitude.
Powerless over the constant chaos.
Powerless over the storm raging inside my own heart.

Eventually, those feelings led me to the same place again and again—alone, quiet, emotionally undone.
Sometimes it was the pantry. Sometimes it was the bathroom. Sometimes it was just the inside of my own thoughts.

And in those moments, the same prayer kept surfacing:

“God… who is in charge here? Because it doesn’t feel like me.”

That question became my breaking point.
Not because everything fell apart at once—
but because I finally realized I couldn’t keep holding it all together on my own.

And that realization?
It became the beginning of something new.

The Anchor Beneath the Waves

When emotions feel out of control, the solution isn’t trying harder to manage them.

The solution is re-establishing authority.

Scripture tells us that when we are in Christ, we are a new creation.
That’s not just comforting language—it’s a statement of leadership.

Your identity is not:

• “angry mom”

• “anxious mom”

• “failing mom”

Your identity is daughter of the King—and that does not change when your mood does.

Think of it this way:

• Your emotions are the waves—sometimes calm, sometimes violent.

• Your identity in Christ is the anchor—steady, secure, unmovable.

We spend so much energy trying to calm the waves…
When what we really need is to check our anchor.

In Luke 10, Martha is frantic and overwhelmed.
Mary simply sits at Jesus’ feet.

Jesus doesn’t shame Martha—He invites her to something better:

“You are anxious and troubled about many things… but one thing is necessary.”

Peace wasn’t found in finishing the to-do list.
Peace was found in choosing the anchor.

Making This Real on a Tuesday Afternoon

So how do we live this out when emotions are loud and kids are melting down?

Here are three simple, practical shifts.

1. Name It—Don’t Become It

Emotions are signals, not identities.

Instead of saying:

• “I am an angry mom”

Try:

• “I am feeling a lot of anger right now.”

That space invites the Holy Spirit to work.
It allows reflection instead of reaction.

This is also something we can teach our kids:

• Validate the feeling

• Guide the response

“I see you’re really upset—and we can handle this in a godly way.”

2. Pour It Out—Don’t Stuff or Spew

The world tells us to either:

• Stuff emotions down

• Or explode them outward

God offers a third way.

“Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us.” (Psalm 62:8)

Instead of just “calming down,” take a prayer pause.

Pantry. Closet. Car.

Say the messy words.
God can handle them.

3. Test It Against Truth

Feelings feel true—but they aren’t always truthful.

When emotions say:

• “You’re failing”

God’s Word says:

• “You are chosen, forgiven, and loved.”

This is how we renew our minds—by letting truth have the final word.

What This Teaches Our Tweens

Here’s the beautiful part.

Our kids are watching how we handle big emotions.

When we apologize after losing our temper…
When we model repentance…
When we choose humility…

We are showing them the Gospel in real time.

We’re teaching them that stability doesn’t come from perfection—
It comes from running to Jesus.

And that lesson will anchor them long after the tween years pass.

Final Encouragement + More Help

This journey out of emotional overwhelm isn’t instant.

It’s a daily—sometimes hourly—choice to check your anchor.

You are not your emotions.
Your circumstances don’t have the final say.
God does.

And His authority brings the peace your heart is longing for.

👉 If you’d like more detail and encouragement on this topic, watch the full YouTube message:
When Your Tween’s Emotions Feel Out of Control, There Is Hope

You’re not alone in this, Faith Mom.
God is with you—right in the middle of your messy kitchen.

A Prayer for You

Father, thank You for every mom reading this. Meet her in the chaos, the exhaustion, and the quiet moments of overwhelm. Remind her who she is in You. Let her feel the security of being anchored in Christ. Replace anxiety with Your peace and give her rest in Your loving authority. In Jesus’ name, Amen.