Many Christians today experience a painful tension: they know God, but they feel overwhelmed by fear, anxiety, anger, guilt, or discouragement. Some seek answers in psychology and all kinds of human methods. Others close themselves in silence and fall into deep depression or even fall from the faith. We are not saying that any outside help is useless, but there is a serious problem: too often we move away from the foundations of God's Word and from the source of wisdom that can restore peace to our hearts.

This study arose after I wrote a psycho-emotional training manual for martial artists and athletes. Applying those teachings greatly raised their performance. At one point I was asked to teach that course to a group of Christians who did not practice sports systematically. I was amazed to see how much they appreciated it and how they found solutions to spiritual problems they were facing. That is when I got the idea to adapt the course into a manual that anyone could study, not just athletes.

This manual starts from the conviction that God offers much wisdom and clear, practical advice that anyone who desires to manage their emotions wisely can apply. When the mind is trained in the truth of Scripture, the soul gains stability and emotions no longer govern life: they are governed. "And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:7)