As a clergyman, I have often found the Bible to be a rich source of guidance and insight into understanding and managing our emotions. It speaks of both God and man as beings capable of experiencing a vast array of emotions – joy, sorrow, anger, compassion, and love, among others. We are created in God’s image, and our emotions reflect aspects of His character.
This emotional facet of our existence is crucial to our lives, relationships, and our connection to God. Yes, traditionally, we, as Christians, are cautioned against putting too much trust in our volatile emotions. However, when submitted to the Holy Spirit’s dominion, these emotions, instead of leading us astray, serve a valuable function in our lives – they reveal spiritual truths and aid our path towards Christian maturity.
Our emotions also help expose our sinful nature (James 1:14, 20; Matthew 5:21–26). Feelings of guilt, for instance, are something all believers must grapple with, as all are guilty of sin before God (Psalm 51:3–5; Romans 3:23). This guilt can only be relieved by accepting God’s forgiveness, offered through the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ (Isaiah 53:10–12; Hebrews 9:14; Romans 5:9). This acknowledgment of our guilt and sin lets us experience “godly sorrow” that “leads us away from sin and results in salvation” (2 Corinthians 7:10, NLT).
There’s a caveat, though. While emotions can lead to powerful spiritual insight, they can also lead to sin if left unchecked. Be it pent-up anger, as warned against by the Apostle Paul (Ephesians 4:26–27, NLT), or feelings of pride, jealousy, and envy; we must resist and control such destructive emotions (Galatians 5:19–21; James 4:6).
Importantly, believers shouldn’t shy away from their emotions. The emotional trials we experience equip us better to empathize with and minister to others in pain. As Paul suggests, we are to “rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep” (Romans 12:15). This ability to empathize deeply and have compassion for the needy forms the bedrock of our faith and ministry (Exodus 22:21; Matthew 25:35–40; James 1:27).
Finally, we come to our exemplar – Jesus Christ, guided by compassion in His ministry, and moved by grief (Matthew 9:36; John 11:33). He bore heavy burdens (Luke 12:50; Isaiah 53:4–5), and experienced emotional agony (Luke 22:41–44). But most importantly, He taught us to take our inner turmoil and pour it out in prayer to God, submitting all our worries, doubts, and fears to Him (Matthew 6:9–13; 14:23; 26:41; John 6:15).
In conclusion, let us, as believers, not deny or suppress our emotions, which are an integral part of our human makeup. Instead, let us observe and follow the emotional life of Jesus Christ, which sets forth an example of how to navigate our emotional landscape, all while remaining anchored in faith, hope, and love for God and for each other.
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