Wednesday, September 14, 2022

What’s in a Name? – Mixed Emotions

September 14, 2022/in Week 1, Bible Study

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Name your problem. That is the first step to solving whatever is getting to your emotions.

It can’t be that simple, can it?

Yes, it is!

Once something is named, you can begin to use its name to gain authority over it, to get curious and seek answers to overcome it. I for one have a tendency to let things get to me when I don’t know what it is or can’t control it. When I go to see my doctor and he orders tests—I do exactly what we’re warned against—I go home and look it up on the internet. And then, the unknown and my lack of control causes me even more distress!

Anxiety and depression—those are two names that I was given in a diagnosis. What I had been wrestling with, finally, had a name. Unfortunately, the diagnosis came before I began my life-changing adventure with Jesus, and I knew nothing of giving my burdens up for him to carry. I was in the state of mind that if I wanted something, I had to do it myself, or I had to earn it. I didn’t know what grace truly meant.

Matthew 11:28

Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.”

Once an issue or diagnosis is named, it definitely helps to narrow the focus and understand it more, but the issue doesn’t just disappear. Knowing my diagnosis certainly doesn’t prevent me from getting full-blown panic attacks when my fear gets the best of me.

In 2 Corinthians, the apostle Paul asked God to make his suffering disappear:

2 Corinthians 12:8-9

8 Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. 9 Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.

Just like the apostle Paul begged God, we too might find ourselves asking him to make the difficult things go away so we feel better. However, those hard times and difficult feelings offer us opportunities to grow closer to God—to trust him and give Christ the space to work through us for his glory.

Once I had a name for my panic attacks and knew they were caused by anxiety and fear of the unknown, I was able to get curious and look for ways to avoid them. Connecting with God, finding life-giving methods to reduce my stress, and making healthy changes have been helpful in managing my emotions.

Psalm 61:2-3

2From the ends of the earth, I cry to you for help when my heart is overwhelmed. Lead me to the towering rock of safety, 3 for you are my safe refuge, a fortress where my enemies cannot reach me.

By naming the problem; finding refuge in God through prayer, Bible study, and worship music; surrounding ourselves with life-giving people; and seeking any needed care, we can begin to think and live differently.

Questions:

What do you do when you get nervous about things you cannot control? Do you pray for God to take away your suffering, or do you ask him to help you find a name for it so you can start to understand the problem?

Next Steps:

Join a life-giving Group. They are such a blessing! Someone there might be going through the same thing you are. Read about what Jesus says to do with emotions, and trust him with what he says.

Spend some time journaling your emotions. It offers an opportunity to name them, get curious about them, and search for where they are coming from. (Plus, I have found that I can go back and see how I solved a past problem.)

Prayer:

God, allow me to name the problems that come my way so that I can ask for your help more specifically. Teach me how to comfort myself and others the way Jesus did. Help me learn to not expect the outcome I want but, rather, what you say I need. In Jesus’ name, amen.