Everyone wants to "feel" good. We wish to be happy. Presently in our culture we are convinced that to reach this state of euphoria we need to have a safe place to express our emotions. We seek acceptance, understanding, and caring. Indeed we may go as far as to say that it is our right to express ourselves. We believe that "letting go," the expression, will solve our emotional problems. We even go a step further and declare that to hide our feelings is dishonest. It is a form of lying. And the Scriptures tell us to speak the truth, with one another!
But what is truth? Emotional outbursts are rarely pure or honest. They are the result of many different circumstances, thought patterns, past experiences, present needs, insecurities, expectations, fear. Many times they are only slightly related to the incident that triggers their eruption. And more times than not the individual who receives the onslaught of our outbursts is innocent. Feelings can be fleeting. How then can we claim that how we feel is the truth? I suggest that truth is not how we feel but how we should feel.
Every one of us has fallen prostrate at the feet of our emotions, allowing them to rule over us and have full freedom. At that moment in time we are like unreasoning beasts -- we cannot think, only feel. And the pent-up feelings explode verbally or physically, slaying everyone in their path. Although we may experience a release of tension through this outburst, Wm. Coffin makes this suggestion:
"What is emotionally satisfying may be spiritually devastating." Pause and calmly think of that!
MC