Emotions and Emojis

Did you know there are 90 different emojis on the iPhone? I counted them this morning and noticed that I use about 8 of them. Wondering if I’m missing a thing or two about emotions.

The experts say we should acknowledge and talk about our emotions. It is suppose to be good for us. I’m no expert, but recognizing how I feel, putting it to words and sharing it, helps.

Search

My soul searching seems to occur at random times – early in the morning, at the kitchen sink, or often during walks. I try and dig into the emotions swirling around, which seem plentiful these days, and ask myself, what am I feeling and why? The experts comment, that shooing emotions away is detrimental. It’s not always easy to identify what I am feeling, so many times I ask God for a little help and clarity.

Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.

Psalm 139:23

Living through this pandemic has evoked lots of emotions. More than a handful of those 90 emojis may have crossed your screen. Maybe you have been surprised by your emotions. We are bidding adieu to events and celebrations, family time and traditions that bookmark this time of year. Perhaps, you have even had to say good-bye to someone you know and love. Somedays, I feels like I am standing on the sea shore watching life float by on an ocean liner, and there isn’t much I can do about it. Saying good-bye hurts.

Acknowledge 

I try not to dismiss the feelings that arise or let embarrassment, shame or condemnation encroach. Feelings are as real as the sky is blue and emojis are yellow. Acknowledging them is part of the process of acceptance and moving forward. There is no prescribed time frame on the process. With some feelings, we can reach a place of acceptance during a stint of washing dishes at the kitchen sink or a walk around the block. Deeper, more complex feelings take time. Give yourself the gift of time during this quarantine. Sorting through some interior work is not a bad idea when you have a little time on your hands.

Communicate

Say it. Write it. Draw it. Sing it. Whatever your favorite mode of communication, try it out. There is power in communicating our emotions, whether to a trusted friend or a journal. Then consider sharing the emotions with God. There are blessings that follow.

Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

Hebrews  4:15

Accept

Surrender is the most challenging part of the process. It is just plain difficult when what we hoped for or dreamed of doesn’t materialize, even if our hopes and dreams were for someone else. When we reach a place of acceptance, we can look back and observe the journey, hopefully, from a different perspective, one of peace.

With Holy Week upon us, I can’t help but think of all the emotions Jesus must have felt. Certainly, he would have touched on more than a few emojis. A tsunami of feelings could have easily swallowed him up. But instead of succumbing to the waves, he went straight to his Heavenly Father and cried out to him, “not my will, but yours.”

I have a lot to learn.