By Coach Caroline Gavin
Image courtesy tiverylucky at www.freedigitalphotos.net
Purposeful Pathway is the haven for faith-based entrepreneurs. Part of my mission is equipping faith-based businesses with information that is practical, actionable and Scriptural.
The theme of this post is embracing emotion!
Emotions are a part of life and certainly a part of business too. Oftentimes we view painful emotions as “bad,” and it is no wonder why. They are uncomfortable at best and, at other times, downright heart-wrenching. Yet we are blessed when we embrace emotions, even the painful ones. Underneath the pain we discover treasures for our businesses and joy for our journeys.
How exactly do we embrace the good of “bad” emotions? Let’s explore five practical yet powerful steps:
1. Resist running. When a painful emotion arises, do not judge it or run away from it. Allow it to surface in its fullness. Feel it completely and appreciate it for the gift that it is.
2. Dig deeper. Oftentimes our emotions have less to do with present situations than they do with past wounds. The current situation is merely a trigger to the emotion. Perhaps a situation triggers a feeling of abandonment, and this feeling is rooted in a situation of abandonment as a child. Or perhaps a situation triggers a fear of financial insecurity, and this fear stems from a childhood situation when there was lack. Pray about your emotions as you dig deeper to learn the true sources of pain. Study the Scriptures to savor verses of comfort based on the emotions you experience. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.” (2 Corinthians 1:3-4)
3. Heal with hope. Having dug deeper, seek Jesus for healing. Place the situations and the people of both past and present into His hands. Forgive each person and wash every situation in His limitless love,forgiveness and mercy. Doing so consistently will bring peace, joy and clarity. “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” (Ephesians 4:32)
4. Strategize your Steps. Having dug deeper and sought healing, look now at the current situation with clearer eyes and calmer heart. Determine your best reaction to the situation and people at hand; strategize proactive steps that support the highest good of all involved.
5. Journey with Joy. When we embrace emotion, dig deeper, heal with hope and strategize our steps, we discover that Jesus’ joy melts away our pain. Cling to Christ, seek His wonderful wisdom and immerse yourself in the joy of His holy heart.
I encourage you to follow wholeheartedly the Holy Spirit rather than emotion. Yet, in embracing the gift of your emotions, you can learn much about yourself, others and God Himself. You can grow in Christ via the chisel of painful feelings. Choose to find the good in your “bad” emotions, as doing so will boost your business, deepen your joy and enrich your journey!
“But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord,
whose confidence is in him.
They will be like a tree planted by the water
that sends out its roots by the stream.
It does not fear when heat comes;
its leaves are always green.
It has no worries in a year of drought
and never fails to bear fruit.”
The heart is deceitful above all things
and beyond cure.
Who can understand it?
“I the Lord search the heart
and examine the mind,
to reward each person according to their conduct,
according to what their deeds deserve.”
Jeremiah 17:7-10
If you need help with taking the next best step or with building your business overall, I would be happy to help in this powerful process. A healthy business involves health all around: body, mind and spirit. Join 3D Vitality Biblical Health Coach Ann Musico and me in a powerful journey for transforming your body, your business and your life here!
Let’s Pray: Joyful Jesus, we thank You for the glorious gifts of our emotions. Thank You for the treasures we find in them, and help us to discern Your direction from them. We love you with every fiber of our beings, every moment of every day…and it is in Your Name we pray. Amen.
Caroline Gavinis a Christian Business Coach, Speaker, Author and Radio Host. Having found eternal victory in Christ, she overcame the dark depths of depression and the near-death of an eating disorder. Her joy now is sharing this joy in Jesus. As a Christian Business Coach and the Founder of Purposeful Pathway Business Coaching, she helps faith-based entrepreneurs pave their vocational paths, live with purpose and walk with God’s way. With years of experience in the financial and real estate industries, Caroline blends her passion for God, her financial expertise and her business acumen to create phenomenal results for her clients. She helps them to attract their ideal clients, powerfully package services and systematize efforts so they can enjoy fun, fruitful and profitable businesses. Refresh with her poetry and glean practical wisdom from her Biz Tips at www.PurposefulPathway.com. Connect with Caroline on Google+, Facebook and listen to her shows on Purposeful Pathway Radio. Contact her via caroline@purposefulpathway.com for a free Christian Business Coaching Consultation. You can also enjoy free resources such as the 7-week transformational Journey to Joy and the21-Day Attract Clients NOW Challenge on the Purposeful Pathway web site.Caroline delights in her purposeful pathway of helping others to pave pathways of purpose, peace and passion for God’s glory!
Thank you, as always, for the wonderful opportunity to share on your blog! You are such a blessing to me — and to many! God bless you abundantly, Ann! 🙂
I always love sharing your uplifting wisdom!
Thank you so much, my wise and wonderful sister Ann!!! 🙂