This week I have been reading “Emotionally Healthy Discipleship” by Peter Scazzero. It’s a very interesting and necessary book which emphasizes become strong emotionally as well as spiritually.
I do take issue with his theology since he uses monks and stories instead of Scripture to back up his points. But there is no doubt there needs to be more teaching on Christians becoming emotionally mature
One of the foundational points of the book for me is life-changing….
It’s okay to not be okay.
As Christians we don’t know how to deal with emotions like stress, anger, or fear. Sometimes we believe these are sinful. Because these emotions are sinful we bury them as deep as possible so that nobody can see them. We also don’t have to deal with buried emotions.
Now let me be clear…..
These kinds of emotions are not sin
They are part of being human!
It is human to be nervous, scared, or frustrated. When those emotions consume us (we don’t control them) they ARE SIN. There is a big difference between being anxious during a stressful situation, and having anxiety about every choice in life.
Yes, we must control those emotions.
Which is why we shouldn’t bury them.
Recently I was kind of down (discouraged) during a bad day. Nothing serious, just things weren’t going according to plan. Normally I’d put a smile on my face and act like everything is fine (even though it wasn’t). But instead I decided to study my discouragment.
- Why am I discouraged?
- How have I forgotten God’s presence? (this is usually true)
- What can I do right now to obey God in discouragment?
The darkness thankfully lifted later that day
It isn’t easy to admit when we aren’t okay. But facing those emotions makes us much healthier than burying them deep.
Johnhwilburn.com 
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