This month I was thinking of talking about emotions and what God says about emotions. Emotions are a gift from God that help us relate to Him and one another. Our feelings are an important journey of faith.

As some of you know, there’s a book study that has been going on this summer in Greenfield, Wisconsin every other Tuesday. We are currently going through the book Untangling Your Emotions by Jennie Allen. The book is about how to deal with your emotions and how God wants us to handle our emotions. Jennie talks about how God created our emotions so we can take what we are feeling to him. An example would be if your anxious, He wants us to tell Him why we are anxious and surrender that emotion to him. 

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” - Philippians 4:6-7

These verses in Philippians are saying that we don’t need to be anxious, but make our requests known to God. God will give us the peace we need. We are human - God created emotions with a purpose. As humans, we tend to have a hard time being vulnerable and to share how we are feeling. It’s that feeling of letting our wall down and letting someone into whatever emotions we are feeling. God intended emotions for us to share with Him, but they can also be shared with a trusted person in our lives. That person could be a close friend or even your pastor or therapist. Feelings can’t be ignored or dismissed, at least speaking for myself. I ignore how I feel and run away from the feeling and turn to stress shopping and even ice cream. But those are not healthy ways to deal with the feelings. It all comes back to surrender. We have to surrender whatever feelings we have to God. in the book, Jennie talks about how God created emotions to help us connect with God, but also each other. She also talks about how if we control our feelings and let them drive, it can lead to destruction and distraction. I tend to let my feelings distract how I really feel and run away from the situation. Jennie also states that part of being human is that we are tempted to solve problems rather than sit with our feelings.  

“In your anger do not sin: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.” - Ephesians 4:26-27

These verses are saying that feelings are not sin, but acting on the feelings are sin. If we let our feelings control us, we are giving the devil a foothold. A door opens and the devil will use that door to trap us in our emotions. The devil knows what sets our emotions off, he knows our weakness, he knows our unhealthy coping skills. Emotions are a way to experience life. Our feelings aren’t always helpful and they can hinder us from our goals. Our emotions need to be submitted to the will of God.  

“When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles.” - Psalm 34:17

When we submit our troubles to God, He promises to deliver us from our troubles and the pain we may be feeling, whatever that may be. Jennie also writes in the book that we cannot be emotionally healthy outside the will of God. If we submit our feelings to God, we can be emotionally healthy, with the help and strength of the Holy Spirit, of course. Feelings are a gift from God. If we keep denying our feelings, it won’t work. God didn’t intend for emotions to be denied.

Another thing Jennie talks about are the 3 Cs: control, cope, and conceal. We are all guilty of at least doing one. If you ask someone who struggles with healthily dealing with emotions, I would say all 3. Honestly, we can cope in good and bad ways. Conceal is stuffing your feelings down and control is trying to control the emotions without taking it to God. If all we do is control our emotions, we lose touch with ourselves and our need for God and each other. We have to let God control and be Lord our of minds and lives. God wants our feelings to be obedient to His will.

Prayer

Lord, I pray for whoever is reading this and that you help them take their emotions to You. Lord, I ask that You remind us that You created emotions for a reason and that they’re a gift from You. Help us be closer to You and each other. 

Amen