Photo credit: Pop Culture wonders
If you’re one of the many that’s been lucky enough to watch Inside Out 2, you would have realized that you spent two hours out of your day to just indulge in a cute, relatable, heartfelt family movie that captures the complexities of human emotions. And in the midst of having almost hundreds of emotions in a single day or even a single hour, from anger, to envy to anxiety to fear and joy, you can sometimes wonder “Where is God when all my emotions seem overwhelming?”
Each one of us goes through a roller coaster of emotions in our day-to-day life and it can be a stepping stone to growth and success or a wall of hindrance in our personal and professional life and in our relationships.
Luke 6:45 (NIV): "A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of." This verse highlights the connection between a person's inner thoughts and feelings and their outward expressions.
Emotions are categorized in 2 parts: Primary and Secondary.
Primary emotions are universal and everyone has these emotions: Joy, sadness, fear, and anger. Secondary emotions like anxiety, envy, jealousy, disgust, and embarrassment, are influenced by culture and the society which you live in. Different experiences in life from birth, childhood, adolescent years shape your thoughts and opinions and convictions.
Let us look at different emotions listed in this movie and also the bible references to think of when you need help with that emotion.
Joy
Nehemiah 8:10: "Nehemiah said, 'Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.'"
Proverbs 17:22: "A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones."
Romans 15:13: "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."
In Summary: Joy is a gift God loves to give. When we dwell in God’s presence by reading His word or worshipping Him or praying, we will experience joy even in the tough times.
Anger
James 1:19-20: "My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires."
Proverbs 16:32: "Better a patient person than a warrior, one with self-control than one who takes a city."
In Summary: Anger that turns to sin can spoil relationships and even separate the best of friends. While anger itself is not wrong, what we do with it can be evil. If anger is something that you struggle with, ensure that you get the help you need to work through it before it causes devastation.
Fear
Isaiah 41:10: "So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."
Psalm 23:4: "Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me."
In Summary: Let not fear cripple us because God is always with us, he has given us strength and we need to walk in boldness and the confidence that has been given to us.
Anxiety
Philippians 4:6-7: "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
Matthew 6:25-27: "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?"
Matthew 11:28-30: "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."
In Summary: Anxiety likes to be in control of every situation as it constantly thinks about the situations and robs us of joy and peace but when we pray, we will experience peace in our hearts and minds.
Sadness
Psalm 147:3: "He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds."
Psalm 42:11: "Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God."
In Summary: God is close to those who are sad, he comforts and heals them.
Envy
James 3:16: "For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice."
Proverbs 14:30: "A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones."
1 Peter 2:1: "Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind."
In Summary: Envy can be like poison to a person. While it is normal to feel, it is important to remember the lavishness of the inheritance God has given us, and that if we let envy seep into our lives it could destroy our contentment and relationships.
All the emotions we feel are normal. We need to gauge or understand why we are feeling the way we are feeling and what is the feeling that we are feeling. Whatever the cause or the emotion, it's important for us to remember that with every emotion, there is an action that the Bible requires us to take. If we're sad, the Bible says draw near to him; if we're envious, rid ourselves of it and so on. Feeling the emotion in itself is normal, but how we handle it can either lead us to sin or to the cross. Where will you go?
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