Emotional Fitness

BY REV. DORAL PULLEY

Scripture Reference – John 19:26

Emotions are energy gifts from God.  Our emotions give us the energy to do what is in our hearts to do.  Emotions are neither right nor wrong; they just are.  Identifying emotions, respecting them and channeling them in a positive direction is emotional fitness.  Some other ways to describe emotional fitness is emotional intelligence or emotional maturity.

Jesus Christ loved his family and his disciples.  During his transition from abundant life to eternal life, he was still concerned about mother, Mary, and his beloved disciple, John, who were both present at the foot of the cross.  His relationship with each of them elicited his emotions.  He channeled those emotions into ensuring that both of them were cared for and that they were not alone.

His love for Mary and John shifted his attention from his own pain and empowered him to meet the needs of those closest to him.  Feelings do not make us weak.  It is our feelings that make us strong. Through the energy of our emotions, we are given the ability to do things that we otherwise may not accomplish.

Although people have a chronological age that counts the number of years that they have been on the earth that does not mean that they have developed emotionally at the same rate of speed.  Addictions such as alcohol and drugs arrest our emotional development. When we are in active addiction, we are normally stuck at the emotional age that they started using those substances.  Trauma such as abuse, neglect or a devastating experience can also arrest our emotional development. Treatment and counseling help us to heal emotionally so that we can grow and move forward in our holistic growth and development.

Rev. Doral Pulley is the senior pastor of Unity Temple of Truth Church, 511 Prescott St. S, St. Petersburg.