Why So Serious? – A Look into the Depths

I’m quite certain, each and every one of us out there deals with emotion on some kind of level. We were made with feelings, therefore we have emotions and therefore we react with emotions. It’s inevitable, unavoidable, and predictable. Even if you try not to, you still react out of something. You could be the most bad-ass person out there and still have emotion.
Reacting out of emotion can be good and it can be bad. Here lately, with my thread on facebook recently, well… all the time, it’s a soap opera of emotions and reaction and decisions based on them. I see their  self-imprisonment by the way they allow their emotions to get the better of the situation and cause them to make rash decisions which end up making the situation worse and making them look arrogant and immature. “I’m done with all this, I’m never opening up to anyone again.” “I’m sick of the drama, I’m never trusting again.” “I’m better off alone.” “I can’t go on anymore.” “I’m never helping out anyone ever again.” “People aren’t worth it.”
I am being totally frank with that statement, I understand. As much as some may not like hearing that, it’s still true and you can act out of emotion and call me heartless, or you can act out of emotion and let it slide and understand where I’m coming from. {See what I did there?}

In some cases, people react out of emotion because of vulnerability caused by past abuse, health issues, stress, family drama, etc. It could also come from built up emotion held in for a long time which weakens our filters and makes us burst out in irrational emotions and decisions. And in other cases, in which I can relate to most, is self-blame. Instead of reaction towards others, we keep it in and beat and blame ourselves and take it captive personally. We hold our self worth in the opinions and actions of others. Whether we keep it to ourselves or burst out in reaction to it, we find our emotions and others emotions toward us more valuable than our well-being and true worth. We define our identity in it. We make decisions off of it. We build our world around it. Yet, we try to remedy it with drugs, sex, alcohol, shopping, violence, lying, anger… should I go so far as murder? Do the remedies work? Do they resolve the issue? Do they make things better? I’ll dare say it doesn’t. In fact, it’s proven to make it worse and will build into your already deep hole of emotion – trapping you to the point of unspeakable depths.
What is it that causes such reactions? What is it that creates such a monster out of our emotions to react in such a ridiculous and irrational way? We tend to be so consumed in the moment of our reaction toward the situation that we don’t realize what our emotion is stemming from: Control issues, incompetence, standards not being met, insults, offense, hurt, etc.  Even reactions out of love, joy, grief… all can cause radical outburst.

OK, my point? So what? So we are emotional. Yes. But, my main concern for you dear people and myself, is being trapped by emotion and living in a dark, depressing, unhappy world. The fear of seeing so many others go through life with this entrapment and not resolving it until way into their older years and then be full of regret – or not even healing from it at all and die in this imprisonment. {My heart breaks thinking of this}

My point is, there is a solution, a rescue, a way out! Speaking on behalf of myself and many others out there, you don’t have to live like this! Many, including myself, have found the way out, have been climbing out of their hole, and have been restored. Do you know what it is? I’m not sure why, and maybe I’ll blog about this later, but it seems to me that there are those who may not have yet reached rock bottom, or are just that consumed in their self-righteous emotional worth that they disregard this path out and don’t believe it will work for them. OR, in many, many cases I’ve heard about, they have tried this path, yet the work it takes getting out is much too hard for them, so they would rather wallow in sorrow in their hole trying to decorate it and fancy it up than to face the facts, get dirty, and better their lives. Better the lives around them even. Do I need to even say it? Do I dare mention His name? You’ve already concluded I’m talking about Jesus, I’m sure. Some may have done the ever typical eye roll, and have done the “oh…right…well… ” remark that I hear much too often.
But for those that are open to this whole Jesus thing, it really does work. It really is the ONLY thing that does work – and I don’t mean that in a bias way. If you really want to go try the surplus of other ways, go right ahead, but then when those don’t work, try Jesus… DO JESUS… don’t just try a little bit and give up. I mean fully do Jesus. And be surprised.

Jesus was emotional. And, if I dare say, He was quite the drama king. He felt compassion, anger, grief, joy, etc. But His emotions stemmed from LOVE. He was compassionate toward the weak. Angry toward the haters, however, had compassion for them. Instead of holding it against them, He was distressed by their hardened hearts. He grieved in many ways. He also was joyful! Though, He showed these emotions ever so brightly. Not muddied, or quietly. He was very colorful with them. I’m not saying that we need to be the most dramatic with our emotions. But rather look at where Jesus’ emotions came from. God. Jesus replicated God and His emotions. More importantly, look at the worth God gives you. You are worth far more than these worldly snickers of emotion. You are defined by HIM, not others. You will find your identity in Christ, and in that identity, you will find peace with your emotions. You will realize that nothing else matters but His plan for you. You will gain more love, compassion and understanding toward others which will also heal and wash away those bits of hurt and rage. They are human, they have issues, but their reaction to their own issues do NOT define you.
Time with God, His Word, His people, will heal you and give you the energy to withstand the constant attacks of others reactions and your own. You will gain a clear and peaceful mind, empowerment, and be free.
Let’s be real for a minute though. It’s going to be hard. It’s going to hurt. Whatever you are dealing with, whatever the cause of this imprisonment, He will walk you out of it, but you will need to walk as well – reliving the past for a moment, going through those hard times again, for a moment. Because God will show you something incredible through all of that. Through all of that dirt, mud, pain, fire, ashes, brokenness, He will show you light, clear waters, restoration, freedom. All that time spent digging that whole, all those layers you went through, well, the only way out is to climb up back through all of that. And when you get to the top, when He finally shows you your TRUE world, that, my good friend, is when your life will really start. THAT is your true worth. You are not alone in this. Not only is God walking you out, but you have those at the top and even on the way out cheering you along, praying for you, and helping you. YOU. ARE. NOT. ALONE. You can be on your way to freedom by a simple request, “Help me, Lord.”

¹⁸ And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate^[a] the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. 2 Cor. 3:18

¹³ Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming. 1 Peter 1:13

²⁶ “In your anger do not sin”^[a]: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, ²⁷ and do not give the devil a foothold. Eph. 4: 26-27