Our emotional health is an important aspect of our overall well-being, yet it can be challenging to maintain in today’s fast-paced and stressful world. It’s easy to struggle with anxiousness, feeling down, and other emotions that impact our daily lives.
I have struggled with emotional health all my life, mainly due to my experiences as a child and young adulthood. Because of this, my parasympathetic nervous system didn’t develop correctly. I tend to cry when I’m happy, sad, or angry and sometimes for no apparent reason at all. But, over the years I’ve learned to cope pretty well.
I think we can all agree that everyone deals with negative thoughts and feelings at times.
I’ve become better equipped to deal with my feelings when I decided to take a biblical perspective on my emotional health. It’s important to learn to process your emotions in a healthy way.
By implementing a few practices I’ve found ways to deal with my emotions during most circumstances.
These practices include:
Seeking God’s Wisdom in every circumstance. The Bible is a valuable resource for understanding God’s perspective on our emotions and how to handle them.
For example, Proverbs 12:25 says,
“Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs him down, but a good word makes him glad.”
Worrying and anxiety can weigh us down, but the words of wisdom found in scripture can bring us joy and peace. I find that Psalm 23 and Isaiah 42 help me find reassurance in difficult times.
Practicing Gratitude. Being grateful for the blessings in our lives can help shift our focus away from negative emotions and toward positive ones.
Expressing gratitude to God for the good things in our lives can help us develop a deeper sense of contentment.
Connecting with others. Having strong relationships with a few friends and family members can provide support and encouragement during hard times.
Being part of something, whether it be a church or a small group can help you feel not so alone. I belong to a small prayer meeting once a week, which I know I can share anything with, and they will support me and do whatever is necessary to help me, if need be.
Hebrews 10:24-25 encourages us to consider how to stir up one another to love and do good works, and no to neglect to meet with one another. To encourage one another always.
Take care of your physical health. Our physical health greatly impacts our emotional well-being.
Eating healthy, and getting enough sleep along with exercising regularly helps to not only keep our bodies in good shape but our minds as well.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 reminds us that “your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within us. We are not our own but were bought with a price. And we should glorify God in our bodies.
The most important practice is:
Trusting in God’s plan. Trusting in God’s plan for our lives and understanding that He is in control can help ease anxiety and bring peace to our hearts.
Proverbs 3:5-6 tells us to
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and Ge will make straight your paths.”
Whether I cry when I’m happy, sad, or angry I know everything will turn out fine, even when I don’t understand why, because God is in control and has a plan.
Emotional health is not just about feeling good all the time, but about being able to process and handle our emotions in a healthy way.
From Pity to Praise 