Stubbing your toe

I’ve been thinking about emotions. Everyone has them. When you stub your toe, the frustration you feel that the table leg was in your walking path is probably stronger than the physical pain you’re experiencing, right? Lately I’ve been learning (or trying to learn) how to express my emotions in a positive way…a way that would benefit others. These emotions can be anything…frustration, anger, jealousy, etc… The more I’ve thought about it, the more I’ve realized that showing emotions in a self-gratifying way is exactly what a child does when he/she is throwing a selfish fit!

I’m learning it’s important to ask yourself what it is that you’re feeling before you react to a situation. Think about it. Write down what’s going through your mind. Try to put your finger on what you feel before you react and do or say something that would hurt someone else.  (You obviously won’t do all of this if you’ve only stubbed your toe, ha!) It’ll give you some sense of peace just understanding which emotion you’re experiencing and it’ll make you feel good to know that you’re controlling it – not the other way around!

Once you understand what you’re feeling, respond to the situation accordingly.  Be gracious. If you do that, you won’t regret saying or doing something you didn’t mean to. I’m obviously not an expert on any of this. I’m dealing with my thoughts and feelings about things just like you’re dealing with yours! I’m only as educated about this topic as a basic college psychology course…and that was like two years ago! I’ve forgotten it all J  

You shouldn't avoid expressing emotions all together, just ways that could be harmful to others. There are lots of different ways to express yourself, and it's probably different for everyone. If you’re mad, taking a drive and screaming in your car can be a great vehicle for expressing emotion (no pun intended...). If you’re confused, write down your questions. If you’re frustrated, make a list of everything that annoys you. If you're sad, rent a sad movie and let yourself cry. If you haven’t cried in a while, it might do you good! You’ll feel so much better if something is consistently getting you down. Follow Christ’s example. Jesus had to bear human emotions. When he was “dealing” he would go into the garden alone and pray.

Once you’ve done something to express emotions in a non-hurtful way, forget it! Go do something fun. Do something to take your mind off of it. Jesus spent time alone, but he also spent a great amount of time with is inner-circle. Spend time with people that lift you up, and love you. Laugh a lot, smile even more, and trust that God is using these emotion-causers in your life to grow you and make you stronger - even if it is just stubbing your toe.