Maneuvers - No. 99
Your Complex
Emotions
Friend, can you think of a time when your emotions clouded your judgment? Maybe they led you to say something you regretted later. Or they caused you to make a decision that ended up hurting you or others.
Emotions are powerful, aren’t they? In the book of Proverbs, King Solomon warns us that, if left unchecked, our emotions can easily overpower us and even, at times, lead to destruction.
“Like a city that is broken into and without walls, so is a person who has no self-control over his spirit” (Proverbs 25:28, NASB).
Yet sometimes, after experiencing the painful consequences of not keeping our emotions in check, we can go to the opposite extreme … We may find ourselves fearing our emotions, pushing them down, ignoring them in an attempt to simply maintain the peace.
But is this the way Jesus created us to live? Or does he have something better in mind?
In this week’s FLAG Message, Holy Spirit is giving us a new perspective of the complicated emotions he created us to be capable of feeling.
Because even though uncontrolled emotions can be dangerous, so is ignoring them. The part within us that our heavenly Father designed to feel, to hope, to dream, and to love is the same part that is also capable of feeling pain and anger and hopelessness and envy and sadness in this broken world of ours.
The question is, how will we respond to these emotions? Will we bring them to the only one who can truly understand them—who understands us?
Let’s listen to his wisdom …
01.
The Message
“Do not fear your anger. Do not fear your sadness. I have made you to withstand emotion, to feel—deeply. Your emotions and the ability to feel things are my gifts to you. For the trees cannot feel and think the way you do—and even though animals can feel degrees of emotions when they are scared or need protection, they cannot feel—with a mind and heart—the same way you feel. You are complex—beyond what you can understand due to the beauty of your framing and the intricate workings of your body and heart and mind.
“The challenge you face with anger—and sadness, too—is what to do with it, how to respond to it, how to listen to the messages of your heart, and discern wisdom. It is hard to be wise when anger overwhelms your brain; It is hard to be kind when your anger makes you focus more on yourself than the people you are made to love, the people around you.
“When you are angry, engage me, converse with me. Let’s talk about what it is you are upset about. Let me father you: talk to me and let me listen. Tell me how you are frustrated and hurting. Tell me what injustice is making you cry out. Don’t try to handle your anger on your own. And your sadness is not for you to carry on your own, either. Let me guide you toward action, toward a response, toward wisdom and kindness—to yourself and others when you feel anger and sadness covering you. Let me clear the air. Let me show you where I am—how I am with you, how I never leave you alone.
“Anger does not always need to be quieted and should not be pushed down and numbed. Sadness, as well, should be held carefully; share it with the kind people I bring and with me. Let your heart open up to feeling the comfort and hope that being vulnerable brings. Feel what you are made to feel. And trust me with the feelings. I will help you know what is next to do.”
02.
Listen
What stood out to you most in this week’s message? How do you want to respond to Holy Spirit’s words right now? Let’s pull out our journals and take a few minutes to pour out our hearts to him.
03.
Think
“God, I invite your searching gaze into my heart. Examine me through and through; find out everything that may be hidden within me. Put me to the test and sift through all my anxious cares. See if there is any path of pain I’m walking on, and lead me back to your glorious, everlasting way—the path that brings me back to you” (Psalm 139:23-24, TPT).
1. Which of your emotions do you fear or ignore? And why? What experiences have taught you to view your emotions the way you do?
2. Where do you need God’s wisdom in your life right now? Where do you feel confused, angry, sad, or unsure of what to do next?
3. How is God leading you to share those emotions with him? Who in your life (perhaps a trusted friend) can you also share these feelings with?
04.
Trust
Some of us are experts at identifying what we feel and expressing it. But if that’s not you, don’t worry, friend—you’re certainly not alone.
Whether or not we feel confident in sharing our emotions, doing so with Jesus and giving him room to respond to us takes intentionality and focus.
So let’s find a quiet spot where we can think and pray. Maybe a soft armchair in the living room, a rocking chair on our back porch, or even just our own bed. We’ll need our Bibles, journals, and a pen for this exercise.
To start, let’s close our eyes and breathe in deeply for a count of four, hold it for four counts, and breathe out slowly for four. Let’s do that one more time, imagining all the distractions falling off our shoulders. Focus on Jesus and his presence in this moment.
What situations are coming to our minds that we want to share with Jesus now? What emotions have been weighing on us? (Let’s remember that it’s normal to feel multiple emotions about a situation, even at the same time—and even if they contradict each other. Now is not the time to judge ourselves for our feelings, but simply to identify them.)
As we sit still, thinking, let’s now ask ourselves why we feel this way. What’s going on underneath the surface? What beliefs are influencing our emotional responses?
And now let’s pray: “Lord, I’m feeling _______ about ________. (Here, let’s share with him why we feel this way.) I surrender these emotions to you—the ones I feel are justified and the ones I’m ashamed of. What do you want to say to me about how I feel right now or about this situation? How do you want me to respond?”
Let’s write down whatever Holy Spirit shows us and continue praying about these things throughout the week. He loves to show us new things as we continue to seek him.
05.
Pray
Heavenly Father, thank you for creating me to feel. Sometimes my emotions feel overwhelming and I don’t know how to respond, or I react in a way I regret later. Thank you for your grace and for always accepting me, no matter what I’m struggling with.
I surrender these thoughts and feelings to you. Help me to stop ignoring them and instead to sift through them intentionally. Test my thoughts, Lord, and lead me on the path toward you.
I love you. When my emotions feel overpowering, give me the strength I need to respond the way you want me to. All I want is to be closer to you, to receive your love and share it with others.
In Jesus’ name, amen.
Waving the banner with you,
