Proverbs 29:11 English Standard Version (ESV) A fool gives full vent to his spirit, but a wise man quietly holds it back.

Spirit here is not the quickened life in Christ but rather think of it in terms of school spirit. You have strong emotions about things in life. God created us to have emotions, love being just one of them.

The issue of holding back certain high spirited emotions has to do with the circumstances. Emotions run the full gambit of highs and lows. Either end can be dangerous to us and others.

It is not always easy to evaluate our reactions in the heat of a moment. The old person in us has a tendency to act first and the gentle spirit in us is slow to anger, but not so our flesh.

There will be times when our old nature gets the better of us until the heart change in us takes more control of our actions. We will feel regret but we must recognize it as just another emotion and not necessarily conviction from our Lord. It is not something to repent of unless harm has been done and that is where wisdom comes in. Wisdom comes with experience, so do not judge yourself harshly if wisdom has not helped control emotions yet.

Pray for wisdom.

James 1:5 English Standard Version (ESV) If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.

And for others.

Colossians 1:9 English Standard Version (ESV) And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,

James 1:6 English Standard Version (ESV) But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.

Ask in faith and receive by faith, do not allow our flesh to tell us otherwise.

Genesis 28:16 English Standard Version (ESV) Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it.”

Understand that certain terms are confusing to the novice in Christ. Dead in sin, alive in Christ has a spiritual context that is not instantly understood. Jesus said of a young girl that was dead that she was merely sleeping and then raised her from the dead. Was she dead or sleeping?

Pondering these issues this morning I search the scriptures for help in understanding how we as Christians, even mature Christians, fall asleep spiritually.

This passage comes as close to my feelings on the matter as I could find.

Conscious is a state of awareness. When we are spiritually asleep we become unaware of what the Lord is doing in us or around us. It is not a matter of lack of faith nor even understanding of scriptures or teachings. When you are not paying attention in class you are still aware that you are in class.

Such is the case of spiritual sleepiness. We allow us to become unaware of His presence and efforts.

Do not feel conviction here, we all do it. It is not unlike Jesus returning to find His disciples asleep in the garden when He asked them to keep watch, twice. Human effort seems to fail us and it has nothing to do with faith or commitment.

Go out by yourself for a prayer walk. Be alone and walk as you pray. Before you know it our minds start wandering out of focus and into the realm of earthly concerns and noticing our surrounding and losing focus on the presence of the Lord, even if it is for just a moment.

That doesn’t make us unfaithful, or unloving, or uncommitted. It says we are human and we are not transformed yet. As much as we would like things to be better in our relationship with the Lord we come to a point where we fall asleep just like His disciples in the garden.

We are human.