Anger, sadness, jealousy, hurt. Four unhealthy, unproductive,
unpalatable emotions. But also, catalysts for transformation.
Negative emotions are inevitable. No matter our temperament, we’re
all faced with emotions we would prefer not to have.
They cause guilt and shame and compromise and pain and fear to
emerge from within us. They bring unhappiness and anxiety into would-be happy,
peace-lit lives.
What and where is their purpose?
Encouragement in Emotional
Pain
First, pain is an encouragement, for God is in the pain. He is there with us as we experience it — His Presence
beckons us to something better.
Pain is stimulus for reflection, which is a good springboard for
change.
God has wired us to do something with pain. Pain, whether it ends
in fear or guilt or shame, or a double or triple whammy of a combination of
them, is not some nasty end point, but the beginning of an opportunity. Once we’re
able to settle down enough to accept the presence of the pain, we’re then in
pole position to explore it without judgment.
Pain is never to be judged, ridiculed, condemned or scorned. It’s
an important indicator that things are not right so we can right them.
Loving Unhealthy
Emotions into a Healing Encounter with God
Unhealthy emotions, accepted, we now have the perfect basis for
moving on, from the very place of our imperfection. And pain is God’s chosen
instigator. He knows we need to be stimulated — aroused from our spiritual
slumber. Pain is His agent.
God loves it when we’ve sufficient humility to journey into
reality. Having knocked at truth’s door, we verily find freedom awaits us
inside, where lies can no longer reside.
The pain in unhealthy emotions can drive us through curiosity into
a search for God’s truth. God never has anything bad for us, and we can be
assured that enduring pain does bring healing.
The purpose of unhealthy emotions is the awakening of pain’s
opportunity for healing.
Acknowledgement to Paula Constant, The
Power of Enough, as inspiration for this article.
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