Everyone’s personality has an emotional component. It’s part of who we are. Our emotional health is one of the five windows of the soul, in which many of us need to exercise “soul care” daily, in order to manage well.
Our emotions often exert a lot more influence over our lives than most of us would care to admit, especially when under pressure or persecution.
This is why . . .
Managing our emotions is an essential part of exercising care for the soul.
When we don’t manage our emotions well, not only does the quality of our decision-making decrease tremendously, but also the well-being of our soul.
Conflict—External and Internal
The Apostle Peter, in both his letters to believers of the early church living in northern and western Asia Minor, knew they were dealing with a lot of conflict in their lives.
In 1 Peter, the conflict was external, as he warned his readers about persecution from those outside the church. In 2 Peter, the conflict was internal, as he warned them about false teachers within the church.
These kinds of ongoing conflicts can stir all kinds of negative emotions from deep within. This meant the pressure was on to learn how to manage these emotions on a daily basis.
A Blessed Greeting
Peter begins both his letters in a similar fashion, with a greeting pumped full and overflowing with blessing!
† May grace and peace be yours in abundance in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.
2 Peter 1:2 NRSV
For the challenges these believers were facing and the emotions they had to manage, the blessing of grace and peace would have been something sorely needed.
Three Negative Emotions
While it’s possible to experience all kinds of emotions on any given day, there are at least three negative emotions that would have served as root emotions in their daily life.
1. Fear
The world is filled with all kinds of threats that can breed fear, real or imagined.
It’s no wonder the word, fear is mentioned over 500 times in the Bible. In fact, the most repeated command in the Bible is some kind of version of . . .
† “Do not fear, for I am with you.”
Isaiah 41:10 NIV
Take a moment to imagine your life within a circle. Everything about you, who you are, what you have, is living within this round boundary. Inside this circle would be your mental, emotional, physical, spiritual and relational health. You could also throw in all your property and possessions; your financial and vocational health, along with anything else that makes up your world.
Now here’s the thing: Whenever someone gets too close to our personal circle, especially one we don’t know, we tend to discern that person as a potential threat, in which fear would then begin to manifest itself.
2. Anger
Anger is what comes next. It occurs when that line of our circle has been crossed. It happens when someone has trespassed into your personal space. Whether it’s your physical, psychological or emotional space, or your personal property, when someone trespasses into a space where they are not welcomed, anger tends to occur.
Anger is another word mentioned in the Bible more than 250 times.
Now the feeling of being angry is not a sin. Even Jesus got angry. What’s important is not letting anger cause you to sin.
† In your anger do not sin: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.
Ephesians 4:26-27 NIV
† Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.
James 1:19-20 NIV
3. Grief
Grief is what comes next. Grieving begins to manifest itself when something has been taken from you that you’re never getting back.
Something has happened you can’t believe. You’ve suffered a very painful loss. The circle of your soul doesn’t look much like a circle anymore. The loss has changed you. You realize your life will never be quite the same ever again. It has ushered you into a season of mourning in order to process the loss.
To mourn or grieve are words also mentioned in the Bible more than 250 times.
Jesus knew we would suffer loss in our lives and would need the gift of grieving to process such losses.
† “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.”
Matthew 5:4 NIV
A Different Kind of Greeting
In his greeting to his readers, in both of his letters, Peter used the words grace and peace.
In doing so, Peter released a blessing into their toxic environment, like a holy breath of fresh air that came directly from God Himself. His greeting was a catalyst for an atmospheric shift and served as a counter-attack to every source of fear, anger or grief they may have been experiencing at the time.
It was a different kind of greeting. The conventional greeting for people who lived during this time period was chairein, meaning “greetings,” which early Christians changed to charis, meaning “grace.”[1]
Grace
Grace expresses “that attitude of God of toward sinful mankind which moves Him to help rather than to condemn.”[2] To experience God’s grace is to receive something we didn’t work for, earn or deserve that came directly from a heart that sought to help us.
Peace
The Jewish greeting (that was sometimes added to chairein,) was shalom, meaning “peace.”[3]
Jewish people used shalom as a greeting and prayer to impart blessing to their recipients. When included in a letter, it meant that the Jewish author had implicitly asked God to give the recipient(s) health, wholeness and well-being.
“Grace and Peace” Together
To use the greeting “grace and peace” would ideally speak to a Christian audience that was comprised of both Jews and Gentiles. In fact, the Apostle Paul used the “grace and peace” greeting in all the letters he wrote in the Bible.
In regard to the believers Peter was writing to, his “grace and peace” salutation would have been a prayer and blessing to ease their fears, still their anger and offer comfort to those who were mourning.
Let me encourage you today:
Whatever feelings or emotions you may find yourself having to manage or sort through today, please know the Lord wants to speak His grace and peace into your situation.
The brokenness each of us has experienced in life is what God’s grace and peace is meant to touch and help fill the cracks so that we can experience the blessing of health, wholeness and well-being.
For better emotional health, it’s important to bring every negative feeling and emotion you have to manage on a daily basis, to the Lord. Reach out to trusted friends who know the Lord as well, when you need someone to talk to. In many cases, seeking help from a pastor or Christian counselor may be a more suitable option.
When you take steps to exercise care for your emotional health, you can trust the Lord to give you the grace you need to not only manage those emotions, but also lead you day by day, toward a better place of health, wholeness and well-being.
Let me PRAY for you!
Abba Father, You are the eternal and everlasting God. You are the source of all grace, mercy, peace, blessing and favor. Lord, today we bring the emotions we have to manage on a daily basis before your throne. Every source of fear, anger and grief, along with anything else that might be weighing heavy on our hearts.
May your grace and peace come now and rest upon every person listening or reading this prayer. On your behalf, I speak grace and peace into their lives. Touch every unsettling emotion they may be experiencing right now; every hurt, every pain, every loss. Grant us all that shalom peace that comes only from You and leads us to a better place of health, wholeness and well-being. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen!
[1] Walton, John H, et al. NRSV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible: Bringing to Life the Ancient World of Scripture. Zondervan, 2019. 1965.
[2] Ibid. 2358.
[3] Ibid. 1965.