The passing away of actor Robin Williams was an emotional shocker not only to the Hollywood fraternity but to many in our region as well.
It wasn’t too long ago Williams and the troupe did some filming around Kamloops for the movie Night at the Museum 3, not yet released.
A succession of tinsel town celebrities have taken matters in their own hands and ended their lives. The three “D”s that are mostly attributed to such emotional super stakes are depression, discouragement and defeat.
Emotions are part of being human. They are neither good nor bad in themselves.
Just because we are emotional creatures is no excuse for uncontrolled responses. The truth is, we do not have to be controlled by our emotions.
We can choose to fix our mind on the Truth (obedience), take every thought captive to the Truth, and allow God to sanctify and control our emotions.
In reality, it goes back to surrender – giving God my emotions for worship, not worry; comforting others, not controlling others; feeling the pain of another and responding with care and compassion.
Two types of emotions are generally stirred within us by events around us – holy and hollow.
Holy emotions are engendered from a broken heart, crying out in desperation to a holy and faithful God.
This type has little regard for self.
When these have reached their ultimate goal, they have become God’s way of complete surrender evidenced through brokenness – an emptying of our selves, our wants, our needs and our sufferings.
Hollow emotions are a desperate attempt to be seen, heard and to manipulate others.
They cry out for attention from others and, perhaps from God, but because these are self-focused, are not usually responded to by a “higher power.”
It might sound like a cry to God, but He is not the focus.
The situation, the person, or whatever has caused the grief has become the controlling force.
People with hollow emotions are still looking for “It” (the circumstance, person, etc.) to bring relief.
They are wanting God to change “It” so they won’t have to suffer any longer.
This cry out is for self, not for surrender. “Touch me,” “comfort me,” “love me,” and so go it.
God does want to answer our pleas and He is close to those of a broken heart.
But He is not interested in simply giving us relief, but in changing our focus, in turning these hollow emotions into holy ones – controlled, sanctified, and surrendered to Him for His purpose.
Author and speaker Larry Crabb said: “Recovery from pain is absorbing an increasing share of the church’s energy…we have become committed to relieving the pain behind our problems rather than using our pain to wrestle more passionately with the character and purpose of God.”
God desires every thing about our life to be under His control, including emotions.
They are to be no longer controlled by people or circumstances but must be surrendered to His control.
Growing in Christian life entails that we are to be conformed to the image of Christ. Therefore, my reactions, my emotional responses are to be in line with His character.
God, through the guidance and teaching of the Holy Spirit, wants to sanctify and set apart my emotions for His good purposes.
Here’s a sampler of general differences between holy and hollow emotions.
Holy emotions:
Surrender and submit through pain to God;
Cry out for healing;
Produce faith;
Speak sincerely, even through tears;
Confess, adore;
Declare God’s righteousness;
Seek comfort;
Soar through prayer and worship.
Hollow emotions:
Scream and spit venom of blame, fear, and doubt;
Cry out to be heard;
Produce fear;
Speak suspiciously and cynically through tears;
Confess adamant demands;
Declare the person’s rights;
Seek control;
Sink through worries.
In his book The Purpose Driven Life, author Rick Warren writes: “Whenever you are hurt by someone, you have a choice to make; will I use my energy and emotions for retaliation or for resolution? You can’t do both!”
We all need help in the area of expressing our emotions. We need the right response when we are faced with traumatic circumstances, daily living and situations that arise from relational conflicts.
The solution is to keep our minds renewed through the Word of God, especially by such passages as Isaiah 26:3-4; 50:10; Philippians 4:4-8; and Colossians 3:1-4.
Narayan Mitra is the pastor at Merritt Baptist Church.
The views expressed in this column don’t necessarily reflect those of the Merritt Herald and its staff. The Herald welcomes qualified writers with views on this or other faiths to submit their work to [email protected] to be considered for publication.
