For many of us, emotions can feel like a mixed blessing—“positive” emotions give spice and vitality to life, while “negative” emotions are the obstacles that lead us into sin and thus are something to suppress. But what if emotions, both the delightful ones and the uncomfortable ones are a precious gift from God?
Emotions Are Part of Being Made in God’s Image
God created us in His image, and emotions are part of that divine design. We see God express joy, sorrow, anger, and compassion throughout the Bible, and Jesus, fully God and fully human, was no exception. He wept with Mary and Martha, felt anger when His disciples dismissed children as less significant than adults, and celebrated at a wedding. Emotions connect us deeply to God’s heart and show us what matters, what is right, and what deserves our attention and action.
Embracing emotions as part of our design as image bearers helps us move from shame over feelings to a place of gratitude and honoring God’s good design for our emotional life.
Emotions as a Signal, Not a Sin
Emotions often get blamed for leading us into sin, and understandably so. Many millions of people have been harmed, abused even, by the fallout of emotions left unguarded. Yet there is an important distinction that we must consider: it’s how we respond to emotions (the actions resulting from emotions) that makes the difference. Anger in itself isn’t sinful—it’s a response to something we see as unjust or harmful. Sadness points us toward what we love, and fear signals what we value and want to protect. These emotions are signals, revealing our values, concerns, and needs, and they invite us to bring them before God.
Scripture calls us to “be angry and do not sin” (Ephesians 4:26), which implies that emotions themselves aren’t sinful but can become destructive if they lead us to act in ways that dishonor ourselves, others, or God. Instead of avoiding feelings, we can pause, reflect, and bring them into God’s light for wisdom and guidance.
Jesus-Centered Discipleship: rather than focusing on your child’s seemingly irrational feelings and correcting them, point them to Jesus and how He handled emotions. For Christians, character formation should start, and be sustained by, pointing our children to Jesus.
Emotions Are a Gift, Not a Guilt Trap
As parents, we can show our children that emotions are valuable, not something to hide or feel guilty about. When we validate their emotions and respond with empathy, we teach them that it’s okay to feel and that emotions are a natural part of the human experience. By modeling emotional resilience—expressing our own feelings in healthy ways and showing compassion to ourselves and others in emotional moments—we help our children learn that their emotions are a gift and a guide. (Check out this post that describes emotions more like a low tire pressure light than the steering wheel.)
Instead of telling children to “stop crying” or “be brave” in difficult moments, we can acknowledge their feelings and help them explore healthy responses. By encouraging them to express emotions and by teaching skills like deep breathing, empathy, and reflection, we offer them lifelong tools to handle emotions wisely and honorably.
Emotions are Faith-Building
Our emotions can play an important role in drawing us closer to God and inviting us to grow in faith. Not because we’re grinning and bearing it, but because we’re anchoring ourselves to the One who is wholly and completely trustworthy. When we feel grief, anger, or fear, we are invited to bring these before God in prayer, asking for comfort, guidance, and strength. Through each emotion, we learn more about ourselves, others, and God’s heart. Our struggles with weighty or uncomfortable emotions can deepen our trust in God, not out of sheer grit and and exhausting willpower, but because we see over and over again that He is faithful and trustworthy.
Embrace Emotions as God’s Gift
Emotions are not an obstacle to holiness; they are part of our journey with God and becoming more like Christ. But like nearly every aspect of life, they need to be stewarded toward maturity, with Jesus at the center of our hearts and homes. Instead of being ashamed of our feelings, let’s view them as a way to engage more deeply with our faith, values, community, and relationships. Embracing emotions as a God-given gift brings us closer to the Creator who made us with the beautiful, complex ability to feel deeply.
Struggling to lead your child toward emotional maturity? Our Cool, Calm, and Connected workshop offers practical tips for helping young children regulate their brains and bodies when they're flooded with emotions.
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