The Second Principle of the Journey: Be Expressive - Day 44

The Second Principle of the Journey: Be Expressive
Day 44

Express your tears and your pain. In order to move on, you cannot push down and pocket your emotions; they must be fully communicated for you to heal.

"Everyone cries," says Dr. H. Norman Wright. "Everyone sheds tears. Some people do it on the outside, but some are only capable of doing it on the inside. From a health perspective, the shedding of tears is very beneficial to physical well-being.

"The people who are unable or haven't developed the capacity to cry are carrying a heavier load of emotion that can actually contribute to some physical difficulties. I don't think you should ever apologize for your tears because you never apologize for something that is a gift from God."

Pull out your emotions. Face the pain head-on. Mourn loudly. Weep bitterly. Be set free.

When Peter realized he had disowned Jesus three times, he "went outside and wept bitterly" (Luke 22:62). When Stephen, the first Christian martyr, died, devout men, "made loud lamentation over him" (Acts 8:2 NASB).

Holy God, I'm so adept at pushing down my emotions that I don't know how to pull them up, but I know that I must. Give me the opportunity and the courage to let my emotions pour out freely. Amen.

~ I love that this day's message is that expression is healthy. I love that it exclaims that to do so is to "be set free".  I allow God in to my heart and my soul and in doing so, give him my hurt and burdens of grief. I allow Him to be the one to guide me through my days and heal my heart at night when I am alone in my thoughts and those thoughts often guide themselves to my longing for my lost loved ones. I pray that I am healed and that I may in turn be a light for someone else. In Jesus' name, Amen.