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“How are you feeling?”
It’s a simple question that often times isn’t easy to answer. Our emotions are far more complicated than we realize and/or care to admit. For many, talking about feelings and emotions isn’t pleasant or a priority. Growing up in West Michigan, I was led to believe that talking about my feelings (particularly the ones that were a little “heavier” – anger, sadness, fear, worry, guilt and shame) was taboo. I got used to saying things like, “I’m fine” or “I’m good, you?” even when I wasn’t “fine” or “good.” Little did I know then that “bottling my feelings up” would have huge consequences professionally and personally.
Later in life, after years of counseling, mentoring and journeying with Jesus I learned something that has changed my life forever: FEELINGS AREN’T BAD! Feelings are from God. Feelings are part of the human experience. Denying how we feel, avoiding uncomfortable emotions, or leaving emotions unexpressed keeps us from living the life God wants us to live. It can have a devastating impact on our health, our relationships, our families, our jobs, everything. Like a pot on a slow boil, feelings not addressed can bubble under the surface until they come out in ways we don’t want.
As a counselor, I’ve worked with people whose emotions seem to be out of control (they blow up and hurt others in anger, they are paralyzed by fear and worry, they are drowning in sadness and grief, they are stuck in the shame of the past). Often times, they’re struggling to live life with an emotion that has become more than a feeling. It is so exciting to see people work through their emotions move from a place of “being controlled by their feelings” to “being in control of their feelings.” That’s why we are so excited for “More Than a Feeling” our new series on the importance of emotions and learning how to deal with Anger, Fear and Worry, Sadness, Shame and Guilt.
We are excited to Dan Seaborn from Winning at Home joining us for a few weeks of the series and look forward to his expertise and pastoral counsel. The series starts after Labor Day (September 8 and 9). We would love for you to join us for all four weeks of the series at one of our churches and bring a friend, neighbor or family member.
Following Jesus and Fearlessly Making Him Known,
Josh Zoerhof,
Weekend Gathering Pastor
Fearless Family of Churches
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