My kids and I have been speaking about negative emotions recently, and through that the Lord has been sharing His heart with me regarding my own.
In the midst of our lives being turned upside down by this virus and the state of the world, I feel that He has some truth for us regarding our "not so pretty" emotions in this season.
For many years I was a victim to negative emotions such as stress, frustration, anxiety, fear and doubt.
I couldn’t seem to “control” these feelings no matter how much I tried. I would feel a breakthrough in an area like being at peace or walking in joy, but as soon as something challenging came up in my life (which, lets face it, life is challenging) I would succumb to one of the emotions above.
It would seem as if I had no control and no matter how much I prayed I couldn’t get off the emotional roller coaster.
Recently, I heard the Lord tell me “Who created your emotions? Who made you to feel things so deeply and strongly?”
It says in His word, “I thank you, God for making me so mysteriously complex! Everything you do is marvelously breathtaking. It simply amazes me to think about it! How thoroughly you know me, Lord!” Psalms 139:14 TPT
Wow, God designed us to be complex. The definition for complex is “Consisting of many different and connected parts”.
Catch that, we consist of many different parts, mind, will, emotions, spirit and body but we are to be CONNECTED. Connected to what? Ourself, our inward thoughts, our body, fear, doubt, pain or sickness?
No, connected to Jesus, the One who holds our breakthrough in His hands.
You see, my imperfect emotions are only a sin when I act on them. To be honest, I do still feel these things and I can still mess up, but His tender mercy draws me in and He is faithful to forgive when I blow it. However, I’m learning to lean into Him more so that I don’t blow it when I feel overwhelmed. The Holy Spirit told me, “Your negative emotions aren’t a sin, but what do you do with them? Who do you turn to when the anger comes? When fear tries to take over, when doubt tries to steal your hope? Is it Me or is it that emotion?”
“Lord, who fully knows the power of your passion and the intensity of your emotions?” Psalms 90:11 TPT
“When Jesus looked at Mary and saw her weeping at his feet, and all her friends who were with her grieving, he shuddered with emotion and was deeply moved with tenderness and compassion.” John 11:33 TPT
Jesus feels strong emotions. The Lord has intense emotions and we are made in His image! However, the Godhead is without sin, so how is it that we can feel things like anger or frustration, yet not sin in the midst?
“But don’t let the passion of your emotions lead you to sin! Don’t let anger control you or be fuel for revenge, not for even a day.” Ephesians 4:26
What I’m learning is to feel these emotions with the Father.
See, when I try to “control” my temper and stuff down anything negative I’m feeling, I end up exploding. What I sense the Lord tenderly teaching me is to feel out these things with Him.
Need a best friend to vent to? Go to Him.
God isn’t afraid of our flaws because He knows the outcome of our life, and He longs to be close to us; His strength is made perfect in our weakness.
David was such a passionate filled man, He would cry out in anguish to the Lord in many of His Psalms, and He was a “man after God's own heart”.
Let us no longer stifle our emotions. Let us feel them with the Lord, ask Him for help, release them to Him and see the beautiful exchange that is to take place when we are honest with Him. Because, friends, that's where intimacy grows.
“...and provide for those who grieve in Zion to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.” Isaiah 61:3
He longs for honesty and transparency and He wants us to be more like Him.
The goal is to EXCHANGE the flawed for the beautiful, and the best way is to call out to our wonderful Father and see how quickly He comes through when we ask Him to help.
~ Caitlin Sawyer
