When the world attempts to explain any unseen aspect of humanity, count on the world utterly botching up their explanation. Those who are in and of the world have such a limited and hopelessly flawed understanding of what they cannot see, because they refuse to understand what is unseen through the lense of the God who sees everything. They instead try to wrap their infantile minds around things outside of their understanding, without consulting the wisdom and love of their much older Father in heaven. Doing this not only breaks God's heart, but it also breaks things down here on earth.
Here's an example of the broken world failing to understand the unseen: There's a trailer that came out a few days ago for the next installment in an "adult" video game franchise. Before I continue this post, my personal request is that my readers not play any of this franchise's games. (The first one was all about normalizing feelings of hopelessnes, especially through the "christian" character who commits suicide. The second one romanticizes what is an abomination to God. Leave these games alone.) In the trailer for the next installment in this video game franchise, the main character says that they have a secret super power; something supposedly only they can do. According to the trailer, The main character has the incredible, uncanny super powered ability to... "know what other people are feeling."
Really? That's a super power? Oh sure, when the girl in the game senses other people's feelings they have a colored aura around them, and she can see stylized images of strange things, but the main gist of her power really is, "I know what other people are feeling." I'm sure to the depraved world understanding another person's emotions is a wild fantasy, but to the children of God it's not a dream. In fact, it's part of a command.
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| Understanding other people's emotions might seem like an abstract concept to the world, but it's not so bizarre to the Christian mindset. |
Biblically speaking, understanding another person's emotions is a part of being a Christian. Taking an interest in another person's emotional state is known as empathizing, and the Bible strongly encourages empathizing. Paul wrote to believers that they should "rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn" (Romans 12:15). How could we do that, if we could not understand what other people are feeling? We, as Christians, are called to emotionally connect with others. When we connect emotionally with someone so much that we begin to feel what they are feeling, that is known as sympathizing with someone. Paul wrote to believers that they are to sympathize with others, which is to "carry each other’s burdens, and in this way [they] will fulfill the law of Christ" (Galatians 6:2). Understanding another person's emotions is a prerequisite to obeying God's law.
So, do we gain the ability to understand another person's emotions through peculiar and unexplained means? No. There's a logical explanation behind the "power" of understanding emotions. You see, when someone becomes a follower of Christ, they receive the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is also known as the Spirit of Truth (John 16:13). Through the power of the Spirit of Truth, a Christian, will be able to understand what is true. Scripture says that those who are filled with the Holy Spirit will have their eyes and ears opened (Isaiah 35:5). Anyone who is not in Christ is spiritually blind and deaf, and they have no hope on their own of being able to understand what is right in front of their nose. Those who follow Christ can understand the unseen things of heaven as they are written down in the Bible. They can also better understand things on earth; in the case of this post, emotions.
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| Those who have received the Holy Spirit and have had their eyes opened to the Truth are indeed filled with great joy and gladness (Hebrews 1:9). |
If someone wants to empathize or sympathize with another, they need to understand the truth behind what someone is feeling. In order for someone to understand truth, they must have the Spirit of Truth in them. If Truth is not in someone, then all that person can do when talking about what is unseen is spout lies; lies they don't even understand (John 8:44). To someone who does not have the Spirit of Truth, many things of this world seem vague and unexplainable. To those who are in Christ, the world is not such a complicated place, thanks to the help from the Holy Spirit.
Now, maybe you are a Christian and yet you have a hard time discerning other people's emotions. You're not alone there, but you're also not without hope. You don't need to be able to see an aura or weird images to "know what other people are feeling." God made a better way to know what others are feeling. He created external ways for humans to express their emotions. The Scripture says "a happy heart makes the face cheerful," and a cheerful face is recognized by a smile (Proverbs 15:13). The Bible also illustrates that tears are often a sign of someone being sad (John 11:32-35). Right there are two physical expressions (smiling and crying) that God created to help people understand what others are feeling. Jesus even said that you can get an understanding on whether someone's heart is full of light or darkness by looking at their eyes (Matthew 6:22-23). God made plenty of ways for people to understand what others are feeling, so we can better empathize and sympathize with others.
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| God made everyone's face, and He also made a way for each face to express emotions in a universal way. |
Maybe looking at people's eyes is hard for you, or you have a hard time discerning facial expressions. Remember that you, as a believer called to empathize, are not on your own. You are with other believers, and we are all called to "make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification" in the Body of Christ (Romans 14:19). If you're struggling with empathizing with others, reach out for help from other believers. Likewise, if you are fellowshipping with a believer who you notice is struggling to understand your emotions, explain your emotions clearly (I'm happy, I'm sad, etc.) so that they can better understand and sympathize with you. This is one way we, as Christians, build up each other in the Body of Christ.
It is not good for a person to be alone (Genesis 2:18), so be with others. Share emotions with others; laugh, cry, smile, cheer, mourn, dance together. Peter urges believers to "be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble" (1 Peter 3:8). Paul says christians must always "consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing" (Hebrews 10:24-25). The only way we, as believers, will be able to do any of this is through meditating on God's Word. Before we can best understand one another, we must first set our minds on understanding what God says. So, as Paul wrote to the Christians in Colossi, "Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts," (Colossians 3:16).
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| God delights in His children gathering together and joyfully singing worship unto Him (Psalm 147:11). |
Sources
- The Bible (New International Version)
- Life is Strange: True Colors Trailer
- OpenBibleInfo: Emotions
- KnowingJesus: Building Each Other Up
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