Photo: Steve Johnson – Pexels

What is the place of emotions in the Christian life? In the life of the pastor? This is a particularly pertinent question for many of us right now: As a vicar in the Church of England, I think it’s fair to say that emotions are riding high for just about everybody in my denomination. But in fact, we are always affected by emotions, and so it’s right to pause and ask ourselves what we should do with them.

Some Christians think that emotions must be ignored or denied, on the basis that they are misleading and cannot be trusted.  It is true that our emotions can be an unreliable guide and so they need to be tested. But we ignore them at our peril. Why?

I explored this question theologically in a recent post concerning Jonathan Edwards on the Religious Affections. (This post should be read in the light of that post – not least because the word ’emotions’ can be understood in a variety of ways.) But there is more to be said at a practical level.

Recognising and processing emotions

In 2018 I took a sabbatical (or ‘period of study leave’ as it was officially known). During that period I found myself struggling to cope with various memories of experiences over the previous 7 years of my ministry. During a retreat (led by the very helpful and wise Tony Horsfall) I was encouraged to recognise my emotions – to name them and acknowledge them before the Lord. I did so, and I found that this in itself was an enormously valuable and healing process.

I realised that I’m very good at burying my emotions – at trying to ignore them, to assume that they’re transient and will pass away. But they don’t. I have found that if our emotions are not acknowledged and processed they affect us, they stunt us spiritually and emotionally; they can become blockages to our spiritual growth.

Having recognised the various emotions (positive and negative), I was able to differentiate between different emotions and respond appropriately. In terms of negative emotions, some were sinful (eg bitterness), and I was able to confess them before the Lord, ask for his forgiveness and repent. Some were less obviously sinful, but still demonstrated a lack of trust in God (eg disappointment). Others were not sinful but needed to be brought before God to ask him to do with them what he felt appropriate (eg hurts).

Emotions as a safeguard

More positively, our emotions (rightly defined) can be a safeguard for us. We have seen in a previous post that ultimate beauty – the thing we were made to behold and be part of – is the love of the Triune God. We have also seen that every human being inclines towards certain things – whether good or evil. As our soul is inclined / drawn more and more towards that which is truly beautiful (God) and away from that which is spiritually ugly (sin) – so we walk on the path of life rather than death (Psalm 16:11). It is in this spirit that God said to Nehemiah ‘The joy of the Lord is your stronghold’ (Nehemiah 8:10). (For which I strongly recommend this sermon.)

We also need to recognise that in British culture today, emotions and feeling are viewed as supremely important. They are the primary way in which many people ‘think’ (and are encouraged to think). We therefore need at the very least to be aware of the impact that emotions have on people, and how they affect the choices people make. Furthermore, in preaching I have found that my hearers have been most affected when their imagination and affections have been moved at a deep level.

So Christian, so pastor, may I encourage you to take your emotions, and the emotions of others, seriously. It is certainly true that they can be an unreliable guide to truth and godliness. But they are part of us, and those we minister to, and they need to be recognised so we can respond appropriately.

Taking it further

I have found these books particularly helpful:

The Emotionally Healthy Leader – Peter Scazzero

Emotions – Graham Beynon