You Are Not What You Feel.

You are not sad.

You feel sad.

You are not angry.

You feel angry.

You are not your broken heart and you are not your clenched fists.

Your emotions do not define who you are.

It is okay to feel these things, we are human, but you need to understand that you are not these things.

This concept was just revealed to me today.

Today in theology class I learned a new word, “orthopathy.”

The prefix “ortho” means “right” as in correct. The suffix “pathy” means “passions.”

Right passions.

This new word leads us to this question,

What is right to feel?

Something we often say is “I can’t help it, it’s just how I feel.”

Almost as if we’re saying “Sorry Holy Spirit, you can’t change that, this is just how it is.”

Who do we think we are?

Who are we to say that our emotions are stronger than the power of the Holy Spirit?

I need to be vulnerable with you for a minute. This past week or so I’ve been an emotional wreck, an absolute mess.

I have just been sitting in the wreckage of my feelings, accepting that I am a mess, and just waiting for them to hopefully disappear because I thought that was my only option.

Today I learned that it was not right for me to feel that way. It is not right for me to feel like my emotions can’t be changed. It is so wrong for me to think I am a mess because I am not.

My feelings and emotions may be messy but I am not them.

I am called beloved, I am worthy, I am enough, and I am all that He says I am.

So, because of this I will choose joy.

I will choose joy not because my flesh wants to but because my spirit needs to.

I am sitting in the middle of the library in tears because I know someone needs this revelation too.

Please hear me.

You are not heartbroken.

Your heart just feels broken.

You are not what you feel, you will not always feel that way, but you will always be God’s.

That is what you are. You are God’s, you are His child, you are called to love, and be loved.

Those who look to Him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame.

-Psalm 34:5

Despite what you feel, you need to know that you are radiant. You are radiant because He has called you to be.