When did the church become afraid of emotion?
I ask myself this question all the time.
Wasn’t it an emotional and spiritual response that drew us to Jesus in the first place?
Do we think that Jesus had no emotion? Because from what I read in the Bible, He was moved frequently.
Even though He knew that Lazarus would be raised from the dead, He wept.
When the woman touched the hem of His garment and was healed, it seems clear that He was moved by her?
He cares
He weeps
He laughs
The Father rejoices over us with singing! He takes great delight in us! If that’s not emotion, then I don’t know what is.
Who gave us our emotions in the first place? The Father. So why should we hide them away and pretend they have no purpose?
I am lead to compassion by emotion. My emotions lead me to rejoice! When each of my babies was born, I was overcome with emotion. On my wedding day, I was drowning in a sea of emotion, and I was so glad!
Emotions help us to know that we are alive!
I believe that so many parts of the church and the world, for that matter, are numb because they have been so afraid to feel! So shamed because of emotion that they can’t let go and just be content to feel!
I want to be fully alive. Fully alive in Him and all the emotion He has blessed me with. To let emotion help lead me to places inside myself that need healing or release. To let emotion lead me to the arms of the Father. To dwell at His feet forever. That is my place. My station in life. My joy. My satisfaction. My goal.
Do you struggle to let your emotions be released? Today I challenge you to truly acknowledge and feel your emotions. Don’t let them take command of you, but let them serve their purpose. I see emotions like the gauges in the dash of a car. The gauges don’t steer the car, but they have an important part to play by showing us when something needs special attention. If you feel easily irritated or angered or frustrated most assuredly the problem isn’t others, that emotion is an indicator of a wounded place inside your heart. Do you always think everyone is against you? They aren’t. If you feel that all the time take a minute and ask God to show you the root of that fear. It started somewhere. Somewhere inside of your mind and heart there is a lie that has taken root. Wouldn’t it feel great to weed that out and live free! It is possible! But you have to take time and be still before the Lord and let Him show you all that you need to know and then you must surrender to His healing hand. He is truly that good!
The Lord your God is with you, He is mighty to save; He will take great delight in you; He will quiet you with His love; He will rejoice over you with singing. Zephaniah 3:17
“Where have you laid him?” he asked. “Come and see, Lord.” They replied. Jesus wept. John 11:34-35
He says, “Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” Psalm 46:10
365 Days in the Presence 