Emotional Patterns

I tend to repeat the familiar, how about you? It’s just what I KNOW how to do, it feels safe, I know the outcome, and I have control over the hurt that I will allow myself to experience.

But sometimes God wants you to stand in that unfamiliar place, where you have no control, where you don’t know the outcome, and where you may get crushed.

One thing I do know…He is there.

He tells me in Psalms 34:18

“The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”

Yet we tend to run away from where HE is standing to meet us.

I am reading a book at the moment called “You are already amazing.”

I read a paragraph that really made me want to stop and dig in a little more.

“What matters most is recognizing emotional patterns, testing them against what God says is true, and proactively choosing what to do about them in our lives. Otherwise we just naturally repeat the familiar.”

I recognize that my emotional pattern is to shut down or run when things get hard.

When something happens & my emotions start rumbling, I panic and think I don’t know how to handle what may spew out, so then I choose to shut down or walk away all together.

I had a situation with my parents yesterday that led me to write this blog. I failed miserably and let my emotions get the better of me, all I wanted to do was get out of there because I didn’t allow myself some time to stop, breathe and remind myself of Gods truth.

My dad told me to not be so hard on myself, easier said than done when you feel like you failed, right? But life is a process; you may succeed one time and fail the next, that doesn’t say anything less about WHO you are. Your worth is not tied to your actions.

But we also don’t want to stay repeating the same destructive patterns. It causes hurt not just to ourselves, but also to others around us.

So what does God say is true about this emotional pattern.

James 1:12 says (even when you want to run) to remain steadfast:
“Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.”

We can’t do this on our own, because we feel weak and incapable in that place, and our first instinct is to go to what we know, so again, what does God say is true about this?

2 Corinthians 12:9 ~ But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

When I want to shut down, as I don’t know what to say, I can remind myself that God will give me the right words in that moment. I don’t have to let my emotions be the voice.

Jeremiah 1:9 says: Then the Lord put out his hand and touched my mouth. And the Lord said to me, “Behold, I have put my words in your mouth.”

God gave us a powerful ability, the ability to CHOOSE.

We can CHOOSE to stand, and not run.

We can CHOOSE to speak out of truth, and not out of emotion.

We can CHOOSE to praise Him, even when we FEEL hurt.

Our emotions don’t have to dictate our actions.

It’s not easy and that is why it is a great reminder that we were not designed to do this life on our own. God allows these situations to show our need for Him.

So the next time something pops up, lets consciously CHOOSE to stand and let Jesus walk us through that unfamiliar place. He will be there waiting.