Face Your Feelings So You Can Be Free
By Rick Warren
“I cried out to God for help; I cried out to God to hear me. When I was in distress, I sought the Lord” (Psalm 77:1-2 NIV).
Have you ever dropped a soda bottle and then opened it right after? What usually happens? It makes a mess!
The worst possible response to hidden wounds in your life is to clam up. It’s like shaking a soda bottle. One day, you’ll just explode!
Bottling up your hidden wounds will wear you out. The Bible says,“When I kept things to myself, I felt weak deep inside me. I moaned all day long” (Psalm 32:3 NCV).
You’ll never get over your hidden wounds until you face your feelings head-on by admitting them to God, yourself, and another person.
Many people try to move past their pain by admitting it to God and themselves, but then they skip the third part of the equation. It will never work. Admitting your pain to others is absolutely essential to your healing. Getting better depends on it: “Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed” (James 5:16 NIV).
You don’t have to confess to a pastor, a priest, or a therapist to obey James 5:16 (although you can). You just need a friend you can trust.
If you use all your emotional energy trying to cover up the past, you’ll have little left for today. Open up about your hidden pain to someone. Tell that person what hurts. By confessing your hidden pain to God, yourself, and another person, you’ll likely find the energy you’ve been living without for so long.
Revealing your feeling is the beginning of healing.
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This devotional © 2018 by Rick Warren. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
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