The Gift of Emotion

Growing up I often experienced negative consequences when I expressed my feelings.

So I dampened my exuberance and stifled my anger and sadness, hoping to make life easier.

Unfortunately, numbing my emotions through overeating eventually led to obesity and the host of social and health challenges that accompany that condition.

Then I began to notice how Jesus displayed his feelings in scripture. He experienced the full range of human emotion: anger with the moneychangers in the Temple (see John 2:15), grief over the death of his friend Lazarus (see John 11:35) and joy in teaching his disciples (see John 15:11). 

Jesus allowed himself to be fully, deeply human whether in joy or suffering. This observation gave me the courage to begin to ‘feel my feelings’ while in the safety of Jesus’ company in prayer. Gradually, I was able to experience my feelings as they occurred and to understand them as good gifts from God.

Expressing our emotions is part of the abundance of life to which Jesus invites us. When we express ourselves authentically, it is a gift to God, to ourselves and to the world.

Prayer: Dear God, help us to continue to learn and grow so that we may be more effective in our ministries. Amen