JUST THINKING: The Believer and Emotions
I was just thinking about a man who recently lost his wife. As he spoke, he broke down and began to weep. In a few minutes he gained his composure and apologized saying, “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t be crying like this.”
My friends, showing certain emotions is not a sin! It deserves no apology — except when people are insulted, belittled or wounded in their spirits.
• Emotions are part of who we are. Shortly after birth, babies begin to display their various emotions. Such continues until our deaths. Emotions are revealed in so many ways — some good and some poor. There are numerous emotions that are encountered daily as we interact with others. A few of those are happiness, sadness, anger, fear, frustration, surprise, disgust, hatred, love, joy, mercy and compassion. Indeed, emotions are part of who we are. In many instances, they define our character to those around us. Showing emotion is natural!
• Evidence of the Holy Spirit. According to Scripture, there is the natural person and there is the spiritual person. The Bible tells us that the individual who has been saved has experienced change — from the natural to the spiritual. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old is passed away, behold the new has come” (II Cor. 5:17 ESV). Such change is evidenced in the lives of believers through the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit who indwells them. “But the fruit (evidence) of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such things there is no law” (Gal. 5:22-23).
Every believer should strive to display the spirit of Jesus Christ as he or she is urged by the Holy Spirit. When Jesus arrived at the tomb of His friend, Lazarus, with Mary and Martha, the Bible records that “Jesus wept” (John 11:35). There is no shame in exhibiting true, heartfelt emotion in times of grief and sadness. A few minutes later at the site of that tomb, the emotions of all who were present changed from sadness to gladness when Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead!
• The difference is Jesus. In my younger years, I possessed a terrible temper. But over the years, the closer I got to Jesus on a daily basis, the farther I got away from losing my temper. You see, Jesus is the difference maker. Every believer, in order to be an effective witness for Christ, needs to work diligently to overcome those natural emotions that injure, and instead develop those which help and heal. The apostle Peter wrote, “Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind. Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing” (I Peter 3:8-9).
As to the weeping friend I previously mentioned, I put my hand on his shoulder and said, “Do not apologize for weeping, tears are a language God understands!” That statement is not original. It comes from a song with these lyrics, “Often you wonder why tears come into your eyes, and burdens seem to be much more than you can stand. But God is standing near, He sees your falling tears. Tears are a language God understands.” A great encouraging scripture is Psalm 126:5 — “Those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy!”
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Dr. Tom Mitchell
Dr. Tom Mitchell pens a column titled, Just Thinking, in which he addresses many topics relative to the Baptist Missionary Association. His Trailblazers series provides biographies of many BMA trailblazers from the past.
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