I am emotional.
Well I suppose everyone else in the world is emotional too. Except my emotions tend to appear externally a lot more than the average person. This is very unfortunate when I'm feeling negative emotions. Or at least I used to believe it was.
Throughout my childhood I found it a shame to cry in front of people. Crying was defined by my family and peers as a demonstration of weakness; so I resolved to try my best not to let others see my tears. It didn't always work. My efforts to hide negative emotions have mostly been futile. Unless I can physically remove myself from a situation, I quite easily end up in a mess of tears for the world to look upon. But why do I want to hide?
God created me the way that I am. Emotions and all.
The Psalmist says to the Lord, "I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well." - Psalm 139:14
I should not be ashamed of my emotions, though they can be overwhelming at times. They are a part of who I am and I need to embrace them. Of course it is not ideal to be sobbing in public places as opposed to my bedroom, but I shouldn't be ashamed or afraid to cry. It is not a symbol of weakness.
Scripture says, "For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:...a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;" - Ecclesiastes 3:1,4
Also, we are commanded to, "Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep." - Romans 12:15
And let's not forget that, "Jesus wept." - John 11:35
Solomon notes in Ecclesiastes that there is a time for weeping and a time for mourning. There is much suffering in this world we live in and it demands an emotional response. Whether it be anger (I'll post more specifically on anger in the future as it requires a bit more explanation) or sorrow.
As a nursing student, I have learned a lot about being empathetic. Empathy is important because when you try putting yourself in the shoes of others you connect with them on a deeper level, causing them to feel loved and cared about (see this video). It also takes some humility to put other's needs before your own in relating to them. I, for example, risk the potential shame in showing negative emotion in being empathetic. God has given me my emotions for a reason, and I believe that the purpose is to show His love to others and therefore ultimately glorify Him. As mentioned above, Jesus wept, and we see in the verse that follows that the people who witnessed this exclaimed that His weeping came from love.
I want my tears to always be a reflection of the love of Christ in my heart to the people around me.
Well I suppose everyone else in the world is emotional too. Except my emotions tend to appear externally a lot more than the average person. This is very unfortunate when I'm feeling negative emotions. Or at least I used to believe it was.
Throughout my childhood I found it a shame to cry in front of people. Crying was defined by my family and peers as a demonstration of weakness; so I resolved to try my best not to let others see my tears. It didn't always work. My efforts to hide negative emotions have mostly been futile. Unless I can physically remove myself from a situation, I quite easily end up in a mess of tears for the world to look upon. But why do I want to hide?
God created me the way that I am. Emotions and all.
The Psalmist says to the Lord, "I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well." - Psalm 139:14
I should not be ashamed of my emotions, though they can be overwhelming at times. They are a part of who I am and I need to embrace them. Of course it is not ideal to be sobbing in public places as opposed to my bedroom, but I shouldn't be ashamed or afraid to cry. It is not a symbol of weakness.
Scripture says, "For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:...a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;" - Ecclesiastes 3:1,4
Also, we are commanded to, "Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep." - Romans 12:15
And let's not forget that, "Jesus wept." - John 11:35
Solomon notes in Ecclesiastes that there is a time for weeping and a time for mourning. There is much suffering in this world we live in and it demands an emotional response. Whether it be anger (I'll post more specifically on anger in the future as it requires a bit more explanation) or sorrow.
As a nursing student, I have learned a lot about being empathetic. Empathy is important because when you try putting yourself in the shoes of others you connect with them on a deeper level, causing them to feel loved and cared about (see this video). It also takes some humility to put other's needs before your own in relating to them. I, for example, risk the potential shame in showing negative emotion in being empathetic. God has given me my emotions for a reason, and I believe that the purpose is to show His love to others and therefore ultimately glorify Him. As mentioned above, Jesus wept, and we see in the verse that follows that the people who witnessed this exclaimed that His weeping came from love.
I want my tears to always be a reflection of the love of Christ in my heart to the people around me.
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