There was a time when religion seemed to play a larger part in regulating people’s emotions. It may even be claimed by some that it came to a point when this resulted in suppressing one’s emotions in order to avoid occasions of sin.
As a result, many people view religion as something that goes against our human nature. It was seen as something that hinders not only one’s freedom but also one’s happiness. Do we not have negative stereotypes about the saints? Many people see the saints as those who hardly smile, those who repress their feelings and who could hardly relate to our humanity.
These days, however, many people are attracted to religion or spirituality because of the good feeling that is evoked in them. People cry out of gratitude for miracles that happen to them. We hear stories hear and there of those who have believed in God because they were touched by a certain sermon, a line from a book or a scene from a religious film. Instead of an unapproachable God, we try to imagine a friendly God who can laugh with us and who will never look angry or frightful no matter what we do.
But is this latter approach, the correct view? In my opinion, both extremes fail to show the true role of emotion in our spiritual life.
The first one failed to see that God respects our humanity and that emotions aren’t evil by themselves. Saints need not be sad all the time. They can also be filled with joy! In fact, their joy is something beyond the happiness the world could feel.
On the other hand, the second view of placing too much emphasis on feelings fail to show that spirituality is much more than the happy emotions we wish to maintain at all costs. We can be sad and still have hope and peace. We can cry without losing the joy of God’s salvation.
Our spiritual life includes all of our humanity, including our emotions. But there is something even beyond the emotions we desire to feel. Love is like that. The kind of love that can only come from God Himself, the source of all goodness, beauty and joy!
Find hope in your darkest hour.
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