Embracing the Power of Emotions
As a sailor, I’ve learned to respect the power of the wind. On fair days, it carries me smoothly across the water, but on stormy days, it can be chaotic and unpredictable. Emotions can be just as turbulent, shifting from gentle and comforting to stormy and overwhelming in an instant. But what if we didn’t have to live at the mercy of our emotions? What if we could learn to navigate them, to engage with them without being ruled by them?
Understanding the Purpose of Emotions
Scripture teaches us that our emotions are deeply rooted in what we value. When we encounter something we consider “good,” we experience positive emotions like happiness and joy. Conversely, when we encounter something we consider “bad,” we experience negative emotions like sadness and anger. Jesus himself exemplified this, feeling anger, grief, and agony in response to different situations. As we mature into the image of Christ, our encounters with good and bad will elicit emotions that reflect God’s perspective.
The Myth of Emotional Bliss
Some Christians mistakenly believe that the more we know, trust, and love God, the less we’ll experience negative emotions. But this isn’t true. While our faith can keep us from being ruled by our emotions, it doesn’t mean we won’t feel negative things or live in a state of emotional bliss. In fact, denying or hiding from negative emotions can complicate matters. Instead, we need to learn to engage with our emotions, to name them, and to entrust them to God.
Developing Emotional Language
Have you ever noticed how sharing your frustrations or fears with a trusted friend can make you feel better? This is because naming your emotions helps you connect with others and be loved. The Bible provides a rich vocabulary for describing human experience, from the Psalms to the narratives of Scripture. When we don’t have the words to describe how we feel, we can turn to the Bible to find them.
Engaging with Emotions to Grow in Love
As we mature into Christ’s likeness, our emotions can help us grow in love. By being honest and engaged with our emotions, we may notice a “gap” between how the Bible suggests we should feel and how we actually feel. This gap can reveal areas where our emotions are not being shaped by love. For example, if we struggle with anxiety or fear, it may indicate a need to receive more deeply God’s care and love for us.
Navigating Emotions with Confidence
To navigate our emotions with confidence, we need to remember a few basics:
- Our emotions are part of how God made us to reflect his image and values.
- We need to learn the language of emotions to engage with them effectively.
- Knowing that emotions are meant to help us grow in loving and knowing God’s love gives us a compass heading for navigating even the most turbulent emotions.
By embracing these principles, we can learn to engage with our emotions in a way that honors God and reflects his love.
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