Running From Emotions

By Cyndi

Have you ever noticed that when we are frustrated or upset with something we tend to look for relief and escape rather than looking into the source and cause of it? I know when my day is going awry, my computer is freaking out, and nothing seems to be right, I just want a Diet Dr. Pepper. Chips, French fries, and ice cream all seem to help too. It makes me feel better, at least for a moment, but then the problem is usually still there afterwards and now with added guilt for eating something unhealthy.

I get cravings when my emotions are fired up and tend to be swayed by them at that point. Instead of searching through the emotions as to why I’m so upset, frustrated, angry, sad (you fill in the blank here), I run to food, Facebook or “freedom” – I choose to run away. I choose comfort. All those disturbing emotions are uncomfortable, why would I want to deal with them?

David had this same nature in him. If you look through Psalm 77, the beginning verses are full of distressful emotions. Most of them pretty hopeless and despairing. But David found a key to dealing with his emotions – he told all of his frustrations and feelings to God. He chose to pour out his heart to the Lord and as he did, from verses 10 and 11, he began to remember the goodness of the Lord. He found Godsight, which is seeing things from God’s perspective.

By seeing things from God’s perspective, we see them with Him – we step back out of our emotions that we are entangled with and get a different view, a much better view. David acknowledged his emotions and took them to God instead of just running from them.

This is a great example for me to follow. As I just want to get through the day so I can “treat” myself to an Oreo milkshake after work to “make it all go away” and feel better that it’s finally over, I could choose to take a moment to talk to the Lord about what’s going on in my day AS it’s happening. I could tell Him this malfunctioning printer is troubling me deeply because I can’t finish my work. I could ask Him why do I get irate when something breaks around the house. And you know, whenever I have stopped and done this, either by journaling or talking, God shows up, like in David’s case, and He pulls me up so I can see things from His view. I get Godsight, my emotions settle down, and I come up with ways to handle the situation. The problem may not always be solved, but I’m calm enough now to deal with it. And the Diet Dr. Pepper and ice cream are not my “savior” anymore, He is.