Emotions are varied and across-the-board, like cold cereals. And, I’ve learned to buy into the humdrum Crispix rather than the sugary Cocoa Puffs when it comes to emotional investment. Emotions are feelings which characterize our attitude, which in turn makes a big difference in how our day goes. And I’ve concluded, it pays to invest in reliable steady spiritual emotions.

Financial investors are trained to master their emotions when making decisions and advising. Marriage Counselors remind couples to remove the emotions of infatuation or anger from their relationship in order to advance honesty and common sense.

An emotion is a natural instinctive state-of-mind connected to our circumstance, mood, or relationship with others. It’s a feeling, such as anger, love, hate, obsession, horror, joy, which influences our attitude. But what emotions do we invest in? Finding the answer can be tricky.

Religion helps us find answers, but one must be careful. For example, I was sick with a Streptococcus that caused a terribly infected ear to drip, drip, drip pus. I did not want to invest in the gloomy doctor’s prediction so I took advantage of my certainty that God heals. I sang a hymn with words written by 19^th century religious leader, Mary Baker Eddy, part of it reading, “Thou wilt bind the stubborn will, Wound the callous breast, Make self-righteousness be still, Break earth’s stupid rest. Strangers on a barren shore, Lab’ring long and lone. We would enter by the door, And Thou know’st Thine own.” And amazingly, my infected ear stopped producing puss, before I was done with the song.

Was I impressed? You bet. To this day, I can be filled with strong emotion recalling that healing. But, I remind myself not to invest heavily in the emotional passion of amazement tied to that song, or I’d end up adoring the song and neglecting God, the real healer. To be emotionally invested only in that which impresses me personally, or impresses a select few people, is not inclusive or profitable. In all reality, the words to that song mentioned above, may put other people to sleep.

We yield high returns when we capitalize on God, divine Spirit, which is expressed practically and modestly in the lives of human beings. We do have feelings but they are inclusive and wise to the bigger picture. I find there is less human melodrama when I invest in spiritual feelings, while the emotions of empathy, happiness, and mindfulness are very worthwhile.