Expressing Feelings

January 5

Expressing Feelings

For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven. . . . A time to cry and a time to laugh. A time to grieve and a time to dance.

Ecclesiastes 3:1, 4

Some people wonder why they would ever want to share their feelings with their mate. The truth is, if you don’t openly share your feelings, they will likely show up anyway in your behavior. However, your loved one will have no idea why you are behaving as you are. That’s when you get the proverbial question, “Is something wrong?” Your spouse knows something is wrong but doesn’t know what.

Emotions are a natural part of life. King Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastes that there is a time for everything, including joy and sorrow, grieving and celebration. All feelings have their place in our lives, and many of them communicate a lot about us. Most of our feelings are tied to some experience we have had in the past or something we’re going through now. The next time you feel disappointed, ask yourself, What stimulated my disappointment? Then try to share whatever it is with your spouse.

Revealing your feelings lets your spouse know what is going on inside you—what you are feeling and why. For example, you might say, “I’m feeling angry with myself because I came home late last night and we missed our ride in the country.” Such a statement may encourage your mate to say, “I’m disappointed too. Maybe we can do it on Thursday night.” Revealing your feelings creates an atmosphere of intimacy and trust.

Lord, expressing emotions does not always come easily to me. Help me to remember that holding back my feelings only makes my spouse guess why I’m acting the way I am. Please give me the courage to share what I am feeling. May it bring us closer together.