Don't Be Afraid to Feel

Something I've noticed about me...our culture.

We are afraid of our feelings. 

Rather than allowing them to permeate our minds, we redirect. We eat. We sit on our computers. We browse Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, Instagram and every other thing so that we won't have to think, and we won't have to feel. We go shopping. We drink too much. We focus too much on work.

We push our doubts, our fears, our insecurities, our dissatisfactions with life, our emptiness, our loneliness, we push them into a dark corner of our minds and ignore them. And we distract ourselves with every other thing.

Why are we so afraid? Why is listening to our feelings so hard? Why have we become so numb?

When we acknowledge our feelings, then we have to deal with them. And not dealing with them is a whole lot easier. It's passive, not active. It means we can go on with our lives each day without any inconvenience or emotion or feeling.

But feeling... Feeling is a gift!  Feeling shows us where we are not fully surrendered to the Lord. Feeling confirms our humanity, in all is vulnerability, in all its weaknesses, in all its hope for something good. Feeling is what connects us to others and helps us to love. Feeling makes us real.

When you start feeling,  you can stop telling yourself lies and start being intentional about preaching truth to yourself. When you start feeling, you can start bringing forth all those things you've withheld from the Lord. When you start feeling, you can be more real, more honest, and more loving.

Don't be afraid to feel. We have a God who promises to never give us more than we can handle. Feel, and experience life as you were created to experience it.

Stop hiding, let the tears fall, pray, surrender, and love.