When it comes to emotions, we seem prone to extremes, especially in the Christian world.
Some of us act as if emotions are a result of the Fall, so we stuff them or ignore them.
Others of us act as if emotions are king and we allow them to rule us.
We Devalue Emotions
Some of us as seem to view emotions as not worthy of being considered part of the image of God. Emotions seem to be considered “the red-headed step-sister” of the image bearing family (with apologies to all red-headed step-sisters, including mine).
We accept that God created us with a soul to relate, a mind to think, and a will to choose. But somehow we act as if emotions were not God’s idea.
We see emotions more as a cursing than a blessing. “More harm than good.” “Suppress them.” “Ignore them.” “Don’t have them.”
Some not only devalue emotions, they demonize them. We’ll often hear,
“Don’t trust your emotions.”
This is shared as a blanket statement implying that somehow emotions are “more fallen” than our desires, beliefs, and motivations.
It would be more biblically accurate to say,
“Don’t trust any desires, beliefs, motivations, or emotions that are not being surrendered to the Spirit’s control and evaluated through the grid of God’s Word.”
God Values Emotions
What does the Bible teach? What model of Christlike emotionality do we find in God’s Word? If we are to live godly lives—Christlike lives—then we need God’s perspective on emotions. And if we are to counsel biblically, then we need a biblical, practical theology of emotions.
We’ve forgotten that when God paused to ponder His image bearers, He declared that they—emotions included—were “very good.” Feelings were God’s idea.
God created us in His image, including His emotional image. As John Piper notes:
“God’s emotional life is infinitely complex beyond our ability to fully comprehend.” (Piper, The Pleasures of God: Meditations on God’s Delight in Being God, p. 72.)
God the Father is the Father of compassion. God the Son is the Man of sorrows. God the Spirit grieves and groans.
Our emotionality is designed by God and like God. Our emotions were created very good.
God Fearfully and Wonderfully Made Our Emotions
Emotions are God-given. They are not satanic. Adam had them before the Fall. Christ has them. In themselves, emotions are not sinful. Emotions are beneficial, and yes, even beautiful.
The Psalmist understood this. In Psalm 139—the classic passage describing God’s utmost care in creating us—emotionality is the one aspect of our inner personality specifically referenced.
“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb” (Psalm 139:13).
“Inmost being” is “kidneys” or “reins” in the KJV. In Psalm 73:21, the same word is used to mean grieved and embittered. And in Proverbs 23:16, the kidneys are the place of rejoicing and gladness.
Hebrew language expert Hans Wolff explains that the Semitic language uses terms for kidneys, reins, stomach, bowels, and womb to describe the feeling states. As we literally experience and feel an emotion in our physical being, so we feel an emotion in our inner being. That’s why we say things like, “I have butterflies in my stomach.”
God created your inmost being, your kidneys, your emotions.
Your emotions are fearfully and wonderfully made—by God.
In fact, your emotions are the one element that God highlights as having been fearfully and wonderfully made!
Join the Conversation
Do we devalue or even demonize emotions, or do we see emotions as being of great value because they are God-designed aspects of the image of God?
How does it impact our daily Christian lives, our relationships to others, and our ministry to others when we realize that emotions were God’s idea and that God specifically declares that our emotions are fearfully and wonderfully made?
A Word From Bob
I developed today’s blog post from my book, Consider Your Counsel: Addressing Ten Mistakes in Our Biblical Counseling.
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