Everyone experiences a
lack of inner freedom from time to time. One day it’s a struggle with anger,
other days we battle with fear, and then there are the habitual patterns we
can’t seem to break free of.
At times we overreact to
situations where our opinion was not acknowledged or valued . We may experience
strong anxiety in other settings, resentment that we don’t seem to be able to
release, feelings of inferiority or worthlessness, battles with shame and
guilt, hurts or offenses we can’t seem to get over ... the list goes on and on.
How do you handle these
kinds of emotional struggles? Some of us try to deal with uncomfortable
emotions by disregarding them. It’s not pleasant to feel painful emotions, and
we’re not sure there’s anything constructive we can do with them. So we try to
stuff and ignore them – secretly hoping that they will just go away.
Others of us try to
analyze ourselves and figure out why we are struggling or feeling the pain we
are living with. Perhaps we think, if I can just figure it out ... then the bondage
or pain will cease. However, the resolution we seek by this kind of
analysis is usually elusive. There are many strategies for dealing with this
inner battle. Some are helpful, others provide temporary relief at best, and
still others seem to make it worse.
How do you usually handle
emotional struggles? What has worked for you? What hasn’t worked? L2G would like to hear from you. Drop us a
note at L2G.Forum@gmail.com or by
leaving a comment at the end of this post. Thanks for taking the time to read
and share.
Scripture tells us repeatedly to be thankful as we struggle with trials. It's extremely difficult, displaying a depth of trust in our Father that most Christians apparently lack, myself included. But if we continue to praise and trust in His almighty power, praying and staying in His Word, we will absolutely have victory. Difficult times come with blessing when one perseveres. Good Christian friends help a LOT!
ReplyDeletePatty Brown
Pelham, GA
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, 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 minds in CHRIST JESUS."
(Philippians 4:6,7 NIV)
Thanks Patty for sharing so vulnerably. I agree with what you said about good Christian friends. Being part of a meaningful community has proven to be invaluable for me in seeing Him in the midst of my emotionally difficult moments.
DeleteI am just beginning to learn how to "feel" my feelings. It is a new world after stuffing them for so long. It is hard and sometimes I avoid or turn to food for comfort but I keep asking God for the grace to recognize when I am losing my peace and losing my connection with him. I lost my mother in June so there has been a lot of sadness, but I just try to admit "I'm sad" and let the tears flow. Feelings are just feelings ... they come and they go if we just let them. Thankfully the more I sit and breathe and practice the presence of God, the more I can have emotional healing and freedom. Thank you for your ministry, Terry
ReplyDeleteThanks Terry for what you shared about learning to feel your emotions. For me, discerning what I am feeling has been as difficult as learning a foreign language.
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