WHERE DO OUR EMOTIONS COME FROM?

Where Do Our Emotions Come From?
Alice Smith


No one is born with a full set of healthy emotions. We gradually learn to differentiate between various kinds of emotions. For instance:

Birth - 3 mos. > Distress or delight

3mos. - 6 mos. > Distress or fear, anger

6mos. - 12 mos. > Delight or elation, affection

12mos. - 18mos. > Distress or jealousy



Gradually each of us will develop emotional responses or expressions that form our patterns of habit. If we experience abusive situations, or fearful conditions on a regular basis, our mind registers impressions that form habits.



EMOTION EXPRESSION

Anger = Young > Temper tantrums, screaming



Anger = Older > Sulking, rebellion, rage, cursing, irritability, withdrawn, bad grades, behavioral problems

Fear = Young > Hides, shy, crying, thumb sucking, bed-wetting, afraid of the dark



Fear = Older > Drugs, sex, isolation, anti-social behavior, physical problems, performance

Jealousy = Young > Bully, teasing, name calling, threats, temper

Jealousy = Older > Crimes, manipulation, critical spirit, rage, harmful actions to others

As we grow older, our emotional responses grow and change. Babies and toddlers are self-centered. They love to see themselves in a mirror, they want the toy for themselves and their language revolves around "me" and "mine." They express simple pleasure, like joy, anger and fear.

As teenagers, our emotions express levels of love, fear, friendship, pain, jealousy, and respect. Teens are learning how to be unselfish, kind, and respectful to adults. Emotional energy is directed for the love of football, their best friend, or their parents. Each emotion of love is on different levels of feelings. The complete opposite of the emotional spectrum is a teen girl afraid of the school principle or afraid of the dark.

But if the overweight teen is bombarded with teasing at school then a pattern is established in her mind that I deserve this teasing. And often the overweight teen will add on more weight as a way of self-punishment. It doesn't take long for the wounded teenager to send out a "vibe" that any human predator can take advantage of them.

By late adolescence and into adulthood, if we are emotionally healthy we will distinguish between truth and falsehood, goodness and evil, and justice and mercy. Mature Christian adults have a desire and a need to prove themselves honorable before men and God. But some abused victims look for ways to be exploited, because that is all they know. Like a TV show I saw one day. It was tragic to watch, but the truth of it was so real, and a classic example of how victimized people often heap shame and disgrace on themself.

Several years ago when the Jenny Jones talk show was airing on TV there was a feature for the day of women who thought they had "hot" bodies. (World term for gorgeous figures) As I sat in my living room, taking a break from work, I was drawn by the sheer audacity of some of the women who appeared on this program. One woman, who caught my attention, thought she was a perfect image of the drop dead gorgeous Oscar-winning, Halle Berry. Now friends, Halle Berry is a looker, (in Texas that means she’s beautiful). With her perfect figure and flawless brown skin, she pulls top billing in Hollywood’s highest movie-grossing movies. But believe me, the girl on this show was no Halle Berry!

The young woman boasted of her resemblance to Halle, but was about 150 pounds overweight and that was the least of her problems! As the overweight young woman walked the runway with a prissy hip action, the audience booed and hissed in obvious disagreement with her personal assessment. Jenny, of course, got the audience involved with their opinions. The "Halle Berry" look-alike argued with everyone in the studio who gently tried to tell her the truth. Finally, one slender, clean cut young Afro-American man jumped to his feet and determined to be heard shouted, "Girl, sit yo' self down! Someone’s done lied to you!” Well friends, the devil is a liar, he’s often lied to me, and he's probably lied to you too. Let's set the record straight!

As a result of a lifestyle of personal prayer I now know that the devil never plays fair, but he does play for keeps! Where he gains a toehold in our lives through fear, lies, trauma, injustice, betrayal, sin or generational iniquity, he will develop a foothold, which will ultimately become a demonic stronghold unless we do something about it.

Isn't it wonderful that God has given each of us a separate and distinct personality type with a specific purpose to fulfill our kingdom assignment on this earth? (See Ps. 16:5-8; 22:9-11; 139; Is. 44:2) The devil wants to kill, steal and destroy our belief about God, our life and our future. (John 10:10) Some are in such pain they lose sight of God's purpose for their lives.

I assure you right now, that your loving Father in heaven has a wonderful plan for you. Even if through life's difficulties you have lost sight of it. I have gone through a lot of personal pain, and was an unknowing victim for many years. Allow my victories to be yours.