“Resolved, that no other end but religion shall have any influence at all on any of my actions; and that no action shall be, in the least circumstance, any otherwise than the religious end will carry it.” (Resolution 44)
“Resolved, never to allow any pleasure or grief, joy or sorrow, nor any affection at all, nor any degree of affection, nor any circumstance relating to it, but what helps religion.” (Resolution 45)
While these resolutions of Edwards are probably thought by many to be excessive, over the top, legalistic, too hard, and many other things like that, they are also extremely practical in the Christian life. As an example we can imagine a married couple having a disagreement. One person in the couple says something that is not conducive to a proper discussion. What is to guide the response of the other person? What is these resolutions guided the response, though not as authoritative in themselves but as an expression of the Greatest Commandment? The spouse would then respond differently than if the Greatest Commandment was not expressed this way. If anger began to arise within the heart, the person could remember that no other goal than love for God and His glory should have any influence on his or her response. Personal revenge or an expression of self-centeredness would not be an option, but only that which would be a true expression of the love of God.
The inner person would need to be checked as well in the response of the spouse as well. The response should not be guided and directed by sorrow or anger, but should rather be decided by an affection of love toward God and the spouse. A true affection toward God and the spouse would be far different if the inner soul began to rise with anger or frustration. Imagine the difference in marital discussions in believing marriages if people would understand that their inner responses should be in accordance to the love of God and not necessarily in accordance to what another person has said. If the battle could be recognized as beginning in the stirrings of the heart and the front lines of the war start there and even start quickly, the sins of anger, bitterness, and outbursts of anger would be controlled a lot more. Instead of responding in anger to many statements, a spouse could calmly and with love ask about the motives of the other and what was really meant. Love requires that the other person be understood rather than the motives and intents be judged as bad. All of this can really be applied to the workplace and virtually any other relationship.
On the other side of the issue, however, might be the feeling of pleasure or the affection of joy in taking revenge or getting the spouse back. One can take pleasure in a form of revenge. That feeling or desire must not be translated into action and even more, it must not be consented to but instead to be rejected with abhorrence. No one that is bought and owned by Christ is to let a sin take control of any moment. This is not teaching a form pf perfectionism, it is simply teaching that we are to war with sin. Our battle is not with flesh and blood (Eph 6), but with spiritual things. Some of this goes on within the inner man. If we do not learn how to fight a spiritual battle, we will constantly be defeated in that battle.
The objection that this is impossible is sure to be raised in the minds of man. However, we must remember that nothing is impossible with God. If we are driven by selfish and self-centered motives, then the above scenario is impossible. But we must remember that we are to be driven by the love of God and not by selfish motives and drives. We are told by many so-called experts that we cannot control the feelings and emotions. That may be right, but we must know that God can. We must also recognize that God uses means to do this. When feelings start in us, instead of going to battle against them with anger and ferocity, we must learn to battle them with prayer and Scripture. This is also a battle that belongs to the Lord. This is not a battle that we can win alone, so we must cry out to God to replace the feelings when they begin to arise within us. We should close our mouths when in a discussion and simply pray that the Lord would fill us with love for the other person and that instead of responding from a self-centered heart, we would respond in a way that is love for God and for the other person. The Scripture is the sword of the Spirit and faith is the shield. Paul tells us in Galatians 5:6 that faith works through love. Faith is a shield but it works through love in this instance. Our minds and hearts must be set on doing all to the glory of God and that includes all my feelings as well. In fact, virtually all of our spiritual battles are won or lost in the realm of the heart in the first seconds of the battle. Let us learn to fight that battle with prayer from the start so that we will end in love rather than in anger or frustration. That is to the glory of God.
God Loves... Himself 
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