The Book of Hebrews describes Jesus as having the same range of experiences as the rest of humankind. For example, we know that he experienced sorrow and wept openly at the tomb of his dear friend Lazarus. We know that he experienced anger and chased the moneychangers from the Temple with a whip. We know that he experienced fatigue and once slept so soundly that even a raging storm did not awaken him.
Given that Jesus experienced so many of the same emotions as everyone else, you would think that those who follow Christ would be more comfortable expressing their own. But for many Christians just the opposite is true. We feel guilty when we lose our temper. We feel embarrassed when we cry in public. It’s almost as if we have come to regard any display of emotion as a sign of weakness—which may help to explain why we so often bottle up our emotions or bury them altogether.
However, psychologists suggest that, in actuality, there is no such thing as an unexpressed emotion. What we are feeling will eventually be expressed one way or another. It’s just a question of when and how.
The key, therefore, is to recognize what we are feeling and find ways to express those feelings in a healthy and appropriate manner. Otherwise we run the risk of having those emotions expressed without even realizing it. Sarcasm, for instance, can result from unrecognized anger. Gossip may arise from unrecognized jealousy. Aggression often stems from unrecognized insecurities.
Let’s face it, we need to claim what we are feeling because the fact is that no one is forcing us to feel that way. So if you are angry, don’t deny it … find a constructive way to deal with it. If you are anxious about something, name it … and then take it to the Lord, who is our ever-present help in time of trouble.
It sounds simple enough, but most of us don’t do it very well. We mask our emotions, or dull them—all in an effort to get a handle on them. But how exactly do you get a handle on something that you are not in touch with in the first place? Here’s the bottom line: If you don’t own your emotions, sooner or later they will own you.
Given that Jesus experienced so many of the same emotions as everyone else, you would think that those who follow Christ would be more comfortable expressing their own. But for many Christians just the opposite is true. We feel guilty when we lose our temper. We feel embarrassed when we cry in public. It’s almost as if we have come to regard any display of emotion as a sign of weakness—which may help to explain why we so often bottle up our emotions or bury them altogether.
However, psychologists suggest that, in actuality, there is no such thing as an unexpressed emotion. What we are feeling will eventually be expressed one way or another. It’s just a question of when and how.
The key, therefore, is to recognize what we are feeling and find ways to express those feelings in a healthy and appropriate manner. Otherwise we run the risk of having those emotions expressed without even realizing it. Sarcasm, for instance, can result from unrecognized anger. Gossip may arise from unrecognized jealousy. Aggression often stems from unrecognized insecurities.
Let’s face it, we need to claim what we are feeling because the fact is that no one is forcing us to feel that way. So if you are angry, don’t deny it … find a constructive way to deal with it. If you are anxious about something, name it … and then take it to the Lord, who is our ever-present help in time of trouble.
It sounds simple enough, but most of us don’t do it very well. We mask our emotions, or dull them—all in an effort to get a handle on them. But how exactly do you get a handle on something that you are not in touch with in the first place? Here’s the bottom line: If you don’t own your emotions, sooner or later they will own you.
posted by Dr. Robert Crilley at
5:46 AM
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