Emotions are not our enemy!

Emotions are not our enemy; they can be our allies.

We are hearing a lot lately about Artificial Intelligence, but I am trying to work on my Emotional Intelligence.

In my past working life, I have taught children how to name their emotions and have tried to help them express their feelings in a safe way. (I used stones with different faces on them so they could show me what they were feeling.)

The older I have got I have realised more and more how I have to learnt to suppress my emotions and often not even been able to name what I am feeling.

A lot of my emotions make me feel uncomfortable, and so I do not allow myself to feel them.

Anger, frustration, and disappointment are the ones I suppress.

Or even don’t know what to do with it.

Anger at a friend’s insensitivity.

Disappointment that a weekend away didn’t go as planned.

Frustration over illness hitting yet again.

Sadness that I can’t help someone in their pain.

I realise that when these emotions arise, I have choices: to either sit and wallow, distract myself or allow myself to feel and express them verbally.

If I am not careful, resentment creeps in, and that can fester and not get dealt with.

God didn’t create us like robots with no feeling. He created us with a range of emotions.

No emotion, then, is bad. He has also given us vocabulary and a way to communicate.

He created us to be able to think and choose for ourselves.

God is the only creator who didn’t just design us and then leave us to get on with it.

We get to have a relationship with the very person who designed us.

I am challenging myself to stop and think, “What am I feeling?” name the feeling, and express it.

I am learning to practice thankfulness again, as that is an antidote for resentment.

I am learning that I feel angry when my boundaries have been crossed, so I need to verbalise what my boundaries are.

Anxiety is something that can creep up on me. I am learning that anxiety is me living in the future, so I’m trying to practise being in the present more.

The Bible is full of people lamenting about their situations.

Others were crying out to God in fear.

There are lots of verses of thankfulness, too.

“Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.”

Ephesians 4:31 NIV

When we read verses like this, it reads as if we’re not supposed to feel these things! But to get rid of them, we first need to feel them, then express them.

Tell God what you’re feeling, be brutally honest. He can take it. He has broad shoulders. He knows us better than we know ourselves! Maybe talk with a trusted friend. Just get it out.

Expression is the antidote to depression.

A verse that I’m dwelling on at the moment is

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord.”

Isaiah 55:8 NIV

When things feel so huge and overwhelming, my challenge is to ask God what His views are on the matter! For He sees the bigger picture.

Creator God, thank you that you have created us with feelings.

Thank you that you want us to express them.

Teach us how to do that safely.

Thank you for your thoughts, which are not our thoughts, and your ways are higher than our ways.

Help us to keep communicating with you and listening to your perspective.

Thank you for your patience