In our attempt to fit in or demonstrate our faith, many of us have adopted the belief that being a “good Christian” means only expressing joy, happiness, and hopefulness. At some point, we may have come to equate feeling or expressing “negative” emotions with disappointing God. So, we learned to suppress rather than express our full range of emotions, believing that doing so was a sign of spiritual maturity.
The Meaning Behind Suppress and Express
The word “suppress” comes from the Latin supprimere, meaning “to press under”. The word's original meaning was: “to put an end to forcibly.” The word “express” comes from the Latin exprimere, meaning “to press out.” The word's original meaning was: “to make known through words or actions.”
These definitions show that suppressing emotions is about pressing them down while expressing emotions is about pressing them out. God wants us to make known our emotions, not put an end to them.
Jesus Modeled Emotional Expression
Jesus, our ultimate example, fully embodied and expressed His emotions. He didn’t suppress them, numb them, or pretend everything was fine. He wept openly (John 11:35), overturned tables in righteous frustration (John 2:15), and cried out in anguish (Matthew 27:46). Nowhere did He teach that deeply expressing the emotions He created within us made us less spiritual. Instead, His life was a demonstration that emotions are an essential part of how we engage with God, others, and the world.
Creatives Are Designed to Feel Deeply
For Christian creatives, this truth is especially important. We feel deeply as artists, musicians, writers, healers, and visionaries. Without emotions, how can we create art that connects with others and transforms lives? How can we extend empathy and compassion if we are numb to our own emotions? How can we connect with our audience and show we understand what they are going through?
Yet, as creatives, we often let the opinions of others, our negative self-talk, and conditioning censor the feelings that God intended for us to express and share. When we suppress out of fear of judgment, looking foolish, or being further misunderstood, we forget that God intentionally designed us to feel deeply for a purpose…to experience and share our humanness and His love.
Misinterpreting Scripture Can Lead to Suppression
Many of us interpret certain Bible verses as proof that emotions such as anger, sadness, grief, and fear are inherently bad and should be avoided at all costs. For example, we might read:
Jeremiah 17:9 – “The heart is deceitful above all things.” and assume emotions are dangerous and cannot be trusted.
Philippians 4:6 – “Do not be anxious about anything.” and believe feeling anxiety means we lack faith.
1 Thessalonians 5:16 – “Rejoice always.” and take this to mean Christians should always be happy.
When we misinterpret these Scriptures, our response may be to put on a mask of happiness to appear as if being perpetually happy proves to others how good God is. But how can we know and connect to others if we don’t let ourselves be known by acknowledging, accepting, and allowing our feelings?
Emotions Are Meant to Move Through Us
No one enjoys experiencing pain, grief, or anger. These emotions are uncomfortable and sometimes even tormenting. Our instinct is often to either lock them away entirely or unleash them without restraint. But neither extreme is healthy.
God desires for us to be emotionally healthy and not blocked by unexpressed emotions or ruled by uncontrolled ones. Emotions, quite literally energy in motion, are meant to move through our bodies. Our emotions cause us to feel a certain way in our bodies because they are trying to get us to pay attention to something important. If we try to hold this energy, it becomes stuck, and with nowhere else to go, it can cause damage in our bodies and lives as well as block our creativity and connectivity. When we express our emotions, we immediately feel relief. It’s like that saying, “I need to get this off my chest,” in reference to needing to tell someone your true feelings and feeling so much better after you do.
For some, emotional regulation may be supported through counseling, therapy, or even medication. For others, it may come through refining their responses over time through life lessons and experiences. Whether we tend to suppress our feelings behind a composed exterior or express them without a filter or somewhere in between, none of us are perfect at managing emotions.
As Christians, we turn first to Jesus, the only perfect one, and trust the Holy Spirit to guide us to exactly what we need at that moment to deeply feel and express our emotions. Whether it be through worship, journaling, breathwork, movement, or art, we can process our emotions in a way that keeps our vessels clear and connected.
Creatives: Your Sensitivity Is a Gift, Not a Flaw
As creatives, we often feel misunderstood or perceived as being “too sensitive,” “too emotional,” or “too much.” But our deep feelings are not a flaw; they are a gift.
Jesus never shamed us for our emotions, so we shouldn’t shame ourselves or allow others to. Our emotions are how we learn and connect. When we feel deeply, express ourselves, and keep our vessels clear, our hearts remain open to God, to others, and to our calling as creatives.
When we express our emotions through creativity, we invite and create space for others to do the same. Through our music, art, and writing, we give people permission to feel, to heal, and to experience God’s presence in their emotions.
How to Process Emotions in a Healthy Way
Rather than suppressing emotions or letting them take control, we can learn to process them in a way that aligns with God’s wisdom and His Word:
Acknowledge – Name the emotion you’re feeling instead of ignoring it.
Accept – Give yourself permission to feel it without shame or guilt, knowing that emotions are part of the human experience.
Allow – Let the emotion move through you in a healthy and balanced way.
Jesus Expressed Emotions—So Can We
Let’s stop apologizing and feeling shameful
for our deep emotions. Let’s stop suppressing the feelings that make us fully human.
Instead, let’s follow Jesus’ example and allow our emotions to move through us, teach us lessons, shape our art, and help us connect to one another and to God. Let’s have grace and patience with ourselves and others as we learn, grow, and make mistakes along the way.
Uncage those deep emotions!
You were uniquely created to EXPRESS...
Your Story * Your Voice * Your Dream
コメント