How To Choose Gratitude Instead of Moodiness
Marriage has a way of exposing our moodiness as women and unless you are an exception, I hope my experience will resonate with you and give you some solutions.
How to choose gratitude wasn’t exactly on my radar when I was struggling the most with my irritability.
I know that there are a lot of reasons for moodiness.
I know for myself that for years I dealt with imbalance because of issues related to my menstrual cycle and the pregnancies that God blessed me with. Pre-menstrual and post-partum issues are real.
They are mood influencers.
Each month I had migraines and often they lasted the whole month as a low-grade headache.
I could feel the hormones pulsing through my body as I often responded with jilted emotions that affected all those around me!
Then when my cycle finally made its late arrival, it would seem like extra hormones were thrown into the mix!
The thing is, that although maybe I had a really good reason for being moody, I really did not!
God says . . . unto me, “My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 2 Corinthians 12:9-11
We live in a fallen world with fallen bodies, and fallen natures that can end up in moodiness. It’s not necessarily your kids who have the ‘bad attitude’ but maybe, just maybe, it is their mom too? I have been there too and it’s really NOT easy!
One important thing to remember is that we are NOT victims of our moods. Our moodiness should NOT be blamed on our kids, our husband, or the point where our cycle is at. That is blame-shifting at its lowest!
Another thing is that we must NOT make our kids or our husbands victims of our moodiness!
We have probably ALL done that! I know I have! Can I say that I have miserably failed on this one?!
Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. Romans 6:12
Ruling Over Your Moodiness is a Skilled Habit
We are in the race of our lives! We can ruin our testimony with our family or that employee at the other end of the phone line when we are irritable.
Just because you will never meet that person in your whole life, doesn’t mean you need to ruin your testimony for Christ.
Along the same line, your children will be in your home for just a few short years. Your influence is greatest while you are raising them.
Ruling over your moodiness is a skilled habit. Too often we just let our emotions run wherever they will and we (wrongly) think we are ‘justified’ in our actions.
Laying your bad attitude aside so moodiness doesn’t weigh yourself or others down is the best way to run this life race (Romans 6:12).
It is the most pleasing to God and He will give you the strength to overcome any imbalance you are experiencing. Sometimes He will do that through supplements or maybe a workout that He leads you to do.
Replace Moodiness by Choosing Gratitude
And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 2 Corinthians 12:9
Do you have a War Room? If you do, you are a Warrior-Woman!
As Christian wives and mothers, the fight is ON! It is REAL!
Moods are caused by wrong thinking even when they are based on hormones. Things are exaggerated when our hormones are raging. It isn’t that we are excused for our sin that shows up in irritability and moodiness.
BUT . . . how do we deal with it?
I think up-rooting moodiness can be done through a mindset change. When we are moody, we are really expressing and feeling our emotions in a very negative way.
Asking Jesus to help us deal with our impossible emotions and moods is the first thing we should do.
He can do so much to soften how we are feeling and approach each situation and person in our lives.
We can literally uproot those negative moody thoughts as soon as they show up in our brains. Taking each thought into captivity and putting it under the Lordship of Jesus Christ.
The weapons of our warfare are not the weapons of the world. Instead, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We tear down arguments, and every presumption set up against the knowledge of God; and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:5
4 Ways to Up-Root Moodiness
- Pray first and ask Jesus to give you strength in your weakness!
- Up-roots those negative moody thoughts!
- Ask God to soften your heart!
- Choose Gratitude and list 3 things that make you thankful!
Up-rooting moodiness really is not a quick fix of 4-Ways to delete it from your life. It is a start though and it will help to replace those negative emotions that at times can rage through even the sweetest woman’s body!
And again, if you think it is hormone related, there is help for that in supplements, an essential oil bath, doing a workout, taking a walk, and basically taking time to renew your mind and spirit. Something that most of us ladies neglect until we are stressed to the max!
Are you struggling with moodiness? I have been there and really do understand. I would love to pray for you, so please, let me know by just typing your first name in the comments.
Good insights and practical helps, Judith. Thanks.
Thank you so much Gail!