What To Do When Your Negative Emotions Take Over

“In the words of a broken heart, it’s just emotion that’s taken me over.” (Bee Gees, “Emotion,” 1978)

We all know emotions are a part of life, and usually we do our best to keep them under control. However, I’m sure many women understand when I say that sometimes control goes out the window, and our emotions seem to simply take over!

If we’re talking about pleasant emotions—joy, love, and excitement—that takeover can be a good and enjoyable thing. But have you ever been overwhelmed with unpleasant emotions like anger, fear, worry, depression, loneliness? It can be frightening when these emotions are let loose and we’re left feeling like our hearts and lives are in tatters.

I’ve found in my own life that I sometimes like those bad emotions. I feel like I DESERVE to feel them! That I have a RIGHT to feel them! But, unfortunately, they always lead me down a path that leads to misery. And if I allow myself to stay on that path too long, I end up broken-hearted.

Feeling Overwhelmed

Anger. Depression. Loneliness. Guilt. These are emotions that powerfully affect our lives.We find them hopelessly undesirable, and at times, they can completely overwhelm us.

But the good news is even when we feel we’re losing our emotional battles, God is actually winning the war! Though it might not feel like it, God has a positive message for us in our negative emotions—and can use those emotions for spiritual growth and maturity.

Unfortunately, as fallen human beings, living in a fallen world, we aren’t given the privilege to pick and choose which emotions we will experience in our lives. We appreciate and value all the joy, love, laughter, peace, and excitement we can wrap our arms around. But then, we also have to deal with the dark side of the emotional spectrum.

But those emotions—the darker and more difficult ones—are important. In fact, they reveal a great deal about who we are and where we are in life.