After getting hit in the head with a bat, it seems you would learn not to walk in front of the person swinging one at you. Well, I guess I’m not that bright!
After many years of trying to be the most Kingdom-building, productive, caring, loving and reproducing leader, I have been forced to face this one fact:
Emotional Health … Trumps all Else!
We’re created in God’s image. God is an emotional being, and so are we. We talk a lot about caring for ourselves in many ways:
- Spiritually
- Physically
- Relationally
- Financially, etc. …
But, if you don’t take care of yourself, and stay healthy emotionally, you can kill off everything else in your life!
That is the only area I’ve found with that kind of killing power in the life of a human being. Once you allow yourself to become so emotionally unhealthy, it’s almost, if not impossible for all the other areas of your life to suffer tremendous harm.
Sick Emotions Kill Relationships
Emotionally unhealthy people withdraw, they criticize unfairly and carry bitterness and unforgiveness. These kill relationships, no matter how close or far—from marriage to distant friendships.
If we are weak emotionally, we can destroy precious relationships (been there, done that!)
Sick Emotions Kill Finances
Ever hear of a mid-life crisis? An unwarranted spending binge? An unexpected bankruptcy? I’ve seen all these in those close to me, and it’s horrible. Emotionally unhealthy people make unhealthy and dangerous financial decisions.
If you aren’t well emotionally, ask a trusted family member or friend before you make ANY major changes or purchases.
Sick Emotions Kill Passion
We are to be a passionate people. Passionate for God, for the things of God and the people of God, and those who don’t know God. All this passion takes takes incredible emotional strength. In fact, emotional strength is the ONLY thing that can fuel the passion we need.
So if we don’t care for our emotional health, our passion dies!
Sick Emotions Kill Physically
Believe it or not. Stress, anxiety and depression lead to an early, and I mean very early, and painful end! Don’t go there. Your emotions are directly tied to how you feel, heal and move physically.
Emotions can wreck your body, from the inside out.
Challenge!
I have been unhealthy emotionally (hit in the head with a bat) more than once! But no more! I will do WHATEVER it takes to stay healthy emotionally. I challenge you to do the same. Too much is riding on our emotional health to neglect it.
So, seriously … How are you doing emotionally? See any danger signs? How can I help?
