Emoting is not the same as being emotional or having  passion for and about something; emoting is not feeling.

“Emotions are a valuable resource.  Don’t waste them.”  My husband and best friend, Chaplain Phil Merten, came up with that this morning as we were drinking our coffee and reading the newspaper.  I loved it.  So true!
 

Let me give you two example that are very close to my heart and touch my being.  I'm sure you have your own  examples.  

 

1.  I have a passion for the Gospel; I have deep feelings about the Gospel.  I get emotional about the Gospel. For those of you who are not familiar with that term, in a nutshell it means “Good News”.   I have a passion to spread the Good News that the “The gift of God is eternal life. (Romans 6:23b)."  

 

2.  I have passion for my children; I have deep feelings for my children.  I can get emotional about my children.   They are my pride and joy. 

 

“Emotions are valuable resources.”  When I (we) become emotional, sometimes it's because we are responding to a genuine and real problem.  Our emotions are trying to tell us something. Remember that most of us get emotional when trauma happens or when something we are passionate about is threatened.  That initial surge of emotions when we know something is wrong, is normal and natural!

 

 

My passion, feelings and emotions for the Gospel can easily turn into me emoting when it’s brought to my attention that some people spread the Bad News that we must earn our right standing with God by what we do; they proceed to put burdens on people instead of taking them off.   I have been known to become irrational and attack the character of people when they do that.  I have lost much credibility because of this.  

 

What I’ve learned and have put into practice - my investent* - is that instead of continuing to emote, I need to get in touch with my feelings.  Had I done that in the past I would not have harmed myself by making myself vulnerable by allowing myself to become emotional with people who were not my friends;  I would have realized that emoting actually prevents people from understanding what's going on with me because I'm unable at that time to make myself clear; I wouldn’t have harmed my husband who often saw me in a trance-like and almost drunken state each time I emoted.  And I would not have lost at least some or all credibility.    

 

 

(*My clients and friends know that my mantra is "Each mistake is an investment ; look for the gain, make ammends when possible,  and don't focus on the loss.")


I still have passion for my children and for the Gospel of Jesus Christ!   I expect to become emotional when I perceive that either one is threatened.  That's OK!  My recovery is to get in touch with my feelings when that happens so that I will not emote all over the place!  Once I get in touch with my feelings, I’m sane again and can strategize what the next step might be. 

“Emotions are a valuable resource.  Don’t waste them.”   If we find ourselves continuing to emote after a traumatic even occurs or when something we are passionate about is threatened, we need help!  When we continuously emote, we’re stuck.  Emoting continuously can drain us, and harm ourselves and others.  We cannot afford to waste our emotions by emoting!  They are too valuable a resource and so are we!

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