Set Free to Live Free: Breaking Through the Seven Lies That Women Tell ThemselvesSample

Day Five: The Lie—Emotional Imbalance Is Only for Crazy Women

This lie suggests that everyone is able to keep his or her emotions in check at all times. This could not be further from the truth. My experience has been that everyone has good and bad days, highs and lows, joy and sorrow. No one is exempt from the changes in life.

Halting an emotional attack also requires the restoration of blood flow. There is life-sustaining power to live freely by the blood of Christ. Our emotions require resuscitation to recover from attacks and to burst forth alive and new.

What differentiates those who go through the devastations of life mentally intact from those who suffer nervous breakdowns? What mental reserves do these overcomers have that help them surf the tides of their emotions? How do they keep it all together when life throws a stone at their glass house? They don’t. They can no more keep it all together than you or I. But rather than cling to the glass that’s shattering around them, they anchor themselves into a foundation. They stabilize their emotions by attaching the power of their emotions to what God’s Word says about who they are.

As easy as this may sound, it is actually very difficult. It requires a spiritual relationship that views God not as a fatherly disciplinarian but as Jesus, an approachable friend and confidant. Growing up I could talk about my feelings with my friends but would never have imagined telling my father the ups and downs of female adolescence.

Often we shy away from opening up to God. When was the last time you said, “God, I’m mad at you! How could you let this happen?” or “God, what are you doing?” Close friends can express their thoughts and feelings freely, and it helps to keep the relationship healthy. When pretense and ritual replace communication, the relationship suffers and weakens.

Weak relationships are the result of a weak foundation. When trouble shakes the foundation of your soul, you learn quickly whether your foundation is strong enough to maintain your equilibrium. Even good foundations can crack, but a crack will not cause you to crumble to the ground. Cracks can be repaired and foundations can be refortified. Spend time building up your relationship with the One who is able to support you through the good and the bad.

Have you ever had an emotional attack? What events led to it? What is holding you back from seeking a more intimate relationship with God?