Facing Your Emotions - Day 37

Facing Your Emotions
Day 37

Men who seldom express emotions during normal times often find they do not have the tools needed to express their grief in times of bereavement. Their ideas of how a man should behave can hinder the healthy expression of their emotions.

Dr. Larry Crabb says: "Men are real problems and I am one of them. In a way that is different from women, men demand to be able to manage things. A man will naturally not move into chaotic situations where he hasn't got a plan.

"Emotions are probably the least controllable thing about our existence. So when a man begins to honestly face his emotions, his worst terror begins to be realized. He thinks to himself, If I face what's really happening in my soul, I won't have the resources to handle it; I won't come up with a formula or a game plan."

In the Bible, Jacob found it very difficult to move on and to accept comfort. "Then Jacob tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and mourned for his son many days. All his sons and daughters came to comor him, but he refused to be comforted. 'No,' he said, 'in mourning will I go down to the grave to my son.' So his father wept for him" (Genesis 37:34-35).

Lord God, I understand that the power and strength to heal come from You and not my own ability. I give my life and my struggles to You. Amen.

~ I still struggle with handling my emotions. It seems like when I start to talk about my sister and bring up those memories, then I start to cry and it is at unpredictable and often times that are not convenient. No time is really convenient honestly. I don't like to just start balling in front of Justice because I can't explain what the hurt feels like because he was only 15 months when they passed. I don't want him to "be prepared" or expect that he needs to be an emotional wreck when someone dies. He has already cried when his fish died, but it was a little cry because he didn't have the fish, not a true loss I don't think.  Better explanation, a loss, but not a loss of the heart. A loss of a possession.  A loss none-the-less. I certainly don't want to belittle his losses because I was hurt when people tried to dismiss the loss of my dog. Today's prayer summed up .. Give It To God.