{"id":15584,"date":"2026-07-12T09:30:28","date_gmt":"2026-07-12T07:30:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gilboapassion.com\/nicht-kategorisiert\/a-feeling-is-a-signal-not-a-command\/"},"modified":"2026-07-12T09:51:29","modified_gmt":"2026-07-12T07:51:29","slug":"a-feeling-is-a-signal-not-a-command","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gilboapassion.com\/en\/news-en\/a-feeling-is-a-signal-not-a-command\/","title":{"rendered":"A feeling is a signal, not a command"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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from Benjamin<\/h4>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Exam Season\u2014(My) Learning Environment<\/h2>

Tension again. News again that we\u2019d rather not read. Anyone living in Israel right now knows the feeling that events are moving faster than our own minds can keep up. War, crisis, uncertainty. And on top of that, the responsibility: for our families, for our work, for the people who look to us for support. <\/p>

I’ll say it plainly: We are being tested. Not just in theory, but every day. And in times like these, it’s not just what we believe that matters, but how we deal with what’s raging inside us. Fear. Anger. Exhaustion. Disappointment. <\/p>

The Foundation: Our Faith<\/h3>

Before I get to the practical strategies, there\u2019s one thing I need to mention first. The be-all and end-all is our foundation of faith. All the techniques in the world won\u2019t work if the foundation beneath them is missing. In faith, we find strength that does not come from within ourselves. In the Bible, we find words that have sustained generations before us through war, loss, and fear. And in a living relationship of faith with God, we receive wisdom: not just knowledge about Him, but guidance from Him. For the next step. For the next decision. For the next conversation. <\/p>

James writes: \u201cMy brothers and sisters, consider it pure joy whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfast endurance\u201d (James 1:2\u20133). And just a few verses later, he writes that anyone who lacks wisdom should ask G-d, who gives generously to everyone without reproach (James 1:5). <\/p>

That is the foundation. Prayer before technique. The Bible before method. Relationship before strategy. <\/p><\/blockquote>

And yet ,<\/strong> the fact remains: God has given us reason, a body, and a will so that we may use them.<\/strong> Faith does not replace self-regulation; it supports it. Those who combine both\u2014the foundation and the craft\u2014face crises differently. <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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We need time off and a balance in our lives\u2014every day<\/h6>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Wir berichten hier nicht aus der Distanz, sondern mitten aus dem Alltag in Israel.<\/strong>
Wenn du das sch\u00e4tzt, kannst du unsere Arbeit direkt unterst\u00fctzen.<\/strong>
Einfach und sicher per\u00a0via PayPal<\/strong><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Ten Strategies for Everyday Life<\/h3>

Emotional self-regulation is a skill evident in people who weather crises without being broken by them. The goal is not to suppress emotions. Emotions are not the enemy. The goal is to manage them in such a way that they do not uncontrollably dictate our actions. <\/p>

Ten strategies that have proven effective. For me, too. Not always. But more and more often. <\/strong><\/p>

Be mindful and pause<\/h3>
  1. Name your feelings. <\/strong>\u201cI feel bad\u201d is too vague. Be specific: I\u2019m disappointed. I\u2019m overwhelmed. I\u2019m frustrated. I\u2019m afraid. Simply naming a feeling precisely takes away some of its intensity. The Psalms show us how. David doesn\u2019t sugarcoat anything. He names things as they are. <\/li>
  2. Take a break. <\/strong>There\u2019s a small space between stimulus and response. Use it. Take three to five slow breaths in and out. Wait a few minutes before you respond. Ask yourself: How will I view this situation in a week? This brief pause prevents many impulsive decisions\u2014and some impulsive messages you should never have sent. <\/li>
  3. Examine your thoughts. <\/strong>Is that really true? What evidence do I have? Is there another plausible explanation? Often, we don’t react to the situation itself, but to our interpretation of the situation. That’s a difference. A big one. <\/li><\/ol>

    Using Your Strengths Effectively<\/h2>
    1. Focus on influence. <\/strong>What can I influence? What is beyond my control? I can\u2019t change the situation in the north. I can\u2019t stop a missile or overthrow a government. But I can decide how I speak to my wife today, how I work, and what I pray for. Investing energy in things we can\u2019t change only increases stress. Putting energy into what\u2019s within our control restores our strength. <\/li>
    2. The body and emotions are connected. <\/strong>If you sleep poorly, hardly ever exercise, and live on coffee and the news, you shouldn\u2019t be surprised if your nerves are frayed. A twenty- to thirty-minute walk measurably reduces stress. So does swimming. The body isn\u2019t just an appendage of the soul\u2014it carries the soul along with it. <\/li>
    3. A Change of Perspective. <\/strong>Imagine a good friend telling you about the same situation. What advice would you give him? Probably wiser advice than the kind you\u2019re about to follow yourself. This distance makes you more objective. And more forgiving. But the broadest perspective isn\u2019t that of your friend\u2014it\u2019s God\u2019s: How does He view this situation? In the light of eternity, many problems shrink to their true proportions. <\/li><\/ol>

      Take Action Instead of Being Driven by Circumstances<\/h3>
      1. Not every emotion calls for immediate action. <\/strong>This may be the most important sentence in this post: A feeling is a signal, not a command. You can be angry without raising your voice. You can be afraid and still take action. You can be disappointed and still remain friendly. Feelings inform us. They don\u2019t have to control us. <\/li>
      2. Practicing Gratitude. <\/strong>Not as a way to sugarcoat things. Not as a pious band-aid for real wounds. But as a conscious balance: Write down three things every day that went well. The brain is wired to spot dangers. Gratitude teaches it to notice the other side as well\u2014the things that sustain us. <\/li>
      3. Know your own triggers. <\/strong>What situations regularly throw you off balance? What kinds of people? What topics? I know mine. Certain headlines. Certain discussions. If you know your own patterns, you won’t be caught off guard anymore. You can prepare yourself. <\/li>
      4. Act based on values, not on sentiment. <\/strong>Ask yourself: What kind of person do I want to be in this situation? Not: What do I feel like doing right now? For us as believers, these values are not of our own choosing. They are anchored in God\u2019s Word. That is why the real question is: How would Yeshua act in this situation? What is in line with what God says about me? Moods change. His Word remains. In the long run, acting from this foundation leads to better decisions than any spontaneous reaction. <\/li><\/ol>

        Start small<\/h3>

        None of this is a trick. None of this makes these times any easier. War remains war; crisis remains crisis. But between what is happening around us and what becomes of us lies precisely this space: the way we deal with what wells up within us. Supported by a foundation that does not waver. <\/p>

        Challenges shape us. They reveal what we\u2019re capable of, and they show us where we need to grow. Those who learn to recognize their feelings without letting them control them don\u2019t become invulnerable. But they become capable of taking action. And in times like these, that\u2019s worth more than any quick answer. <\/p>

        Start small. Tonight: Write down 10 things that went well.<\/strong> Tomorrow morning: Take a deep breath and say a prayer before you start anything. That’s all you need to get started. <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t<\/section>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

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        from Benjamin Exam Season\u2014(My) Learning Environment Tension again. News again that we\u2019d rather not read. Anyone living in Israel right now knows the feeling that events are moving faster than our own minds can keep up. War, crisis, uncertainty. And on top of that, the responsibility: for our families, for our work, for the people […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":15583,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"cybocfi_hide_featured_image":"","footnotes":"","_wpscp_schedule_draft_date":"","_wpscp_schedule_republish_date":"","_wpscppro_advance_schedule":false,"_wpscppro_advance_schedule_date":"","_wpscppro_dont_share_socialmedia":false,"_wpscppro_custom_social_share_image":0,"_facebook_share_type":"","_twitter_share_type":"","_linkedin_share_type":"","_pinterest_share_type":"","_linkedin_share_type_page":"","_instagram_share_type":"","_medium_share_type":"","_threads_share_type":"","_google_business_share_type":"","_selected_social_profile":[],"_wpsp_enable_custom_social_template":false,"_wpsp_social_scheduling":{"enabled":false,"datetime":null,"platforms":[],"status":"template_only","dateOption":"today","timeOption":"now","customDays":"","customHours":"","customDate":"","customTime":"","schedulingType":"absolute"},"_wpsp_active_default_template":true},"categories":[275,305],"tags":[585,517,735,583,733,281,734],"class_list":["post-15584","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news-en","category-blog-en","tag-benjamin-funk","tag-blog","tag-encouragement","tag-everyday-life","tag-feelings","tag-life","tag-succession"],"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-07-19 17:15:37","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/gilboapassion.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15584","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/gilboapassion.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/gilboapassion.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gilboapassion.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gilboapassion.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15584"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/gilboapassion.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15584\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":15585,"href":"https:\/\/gilboapassion.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15584\/revisions\/15585"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gilboapassion.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/15583"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/gilboapassion.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15584"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gilboapassion.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=15584"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gilboapassion.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=15584"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}