Inside Out
Read Time: 5 mins
“Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”
Romans 12:2 NLT
My church and I have an amazing opportunity to do a summer camp for some of the children in our church and community. We've been organizing energizing games, engaging skits, and exciting discussions on everything from leadership and community engagement to understanding trauma and coping, positive decision-making, and goal setting and planning. It's been great to hear their thoughts and witness their growth as we journey through areas that may affect them throughout their lives.
Last week we discussed conflict resolution and studied Jesus’ approach in Matthew 18, however, we didn't just want to talk about external conflict, we wanted to touch on internal conflict. These preteens are going through a lot. They are encountering identity issues and what it means to be themselves. Some have experienced the hardship of the foster care system, and others have experienced the weight that sickness, poverty, and divorce played on their families. They discussed changes in their relationships with family and friends. They discussed bouts of bullying and insecurity. Some even expressed the grief that came from losing loved ones and the fear that others may be next. So as we helped these young people process through their emotions and develop tools to navigate the changes and transitions, we had the idea to watch the movie, Inside Out 2. If you haven't seen the Inside Out movies, you are missing out. They’re fantastic. The movies essentially display the emotions felt by a girl named Riley. As Riley goes through her life, emotions such as anger, joy, fear, and sadness are depicted as they work around a control panel and react to Riley's day.
The emotions fight for control as Riley encounters various challenges. Sometimes anger wants to be in charge while other times sadness opts to run the control panel of Riley's mind. Some emotions believe they should be in charge and that others aren’t necessary. Others believe that their method is better and that the others are just getting in the way, but this children's movie teaches us a few things that even adults need to learn in their lives.
For one, no emotion is bad. However, without balance and control, they can lead to negative things. The Bible says to be angry but sin not. That means that anger in itself isn't a sin but the actions caused by it may be. While anger may give you the impetus to boldly speak truth to power, fight for the oppressed, or storm a temple that is going against the values of God the Father like Jesus did, unregulated it can lead to rash decisions with irrevocable consequences. While joy is comforting, when unregulated it can lead to a hedonistic and gluttonous pursuit at the cost of truth. Joy can blind you to the necessary work and growth that honesty wants you to experience. Sadness is necessary. Jesus even made it a point to let us know that He cried at the death of Lazurus even though He knew He could raise him from the dead. It's ok to be sad. Sadness often leads to sympathy, a greater love for others, or a desire for positive change. But unregulated, it can lead to hopelessness, sloth, and a dangerous and haphazard disposition.
The movie showed us that each emotion has a positive use, but when uncontrolled, it can lead to a negative action. Even though anxiety caused chaos, when controlled, it transformed into gifts of thinking ahead, eagerness, preparation, motivation, and seriousness in the things that mattered in Riley's life. Even what is typically deemed as negative can be used for something good.
You may not be a girl experiencing puberty as she transitions to high school, but like Riley, you may be experiencing a paralyzing whirlwind of emotions. I want you to find the good in your emotions instead of suppressing them. I want to remind you that your emotions don't control you. Emotions are signposts that alert you to an opportunity or threat. The ball is in your court and you have a choice as to how you react to the situations around you.
So how do I react? How do I respond? What I love about the movie is that the thing that is used to bring resolution to the conflict in Riley's emotions is her core beliefs about herself. Her identity is what balances the emotions. When anxiety is running rampant in your life, I want you to remind yourself who you are and whose you are. You have nothing to prove. You are chosen, loved, and desired now! While anxiety gives “if” statements, identity gives “I am” statements. Anxiety says “If I do this I will be good enough,” but identity says “I do this because I know I am good enough.” When you recognize who you are, what was envy transforms into inspiration. When you know who you are, the “what if” of fear turns into the “what if” of faith.
The way we fight our emotions is by comparing them to the truth. The way we regulate is by reminding ourselves of our identity. This is why Paul in Romans tells us that we will experience life-altering transformation if we allow God to change how we think. Others may allow their negative self-image and emotions to overrun their lives, but as Christians, we are called to flee from the self-sustained mindset of their world. I’m not dependent on myself. I'm not controlled by how I feel. There is a God in whom I find my identity. Instead of basing your beliefs on what you see or feel, base them on what God says about you and sees in you. Allow Him to change how you process emotion. That is how I can find balance in my sadness. That is how I can dispel my fears and doubts. That is how I can regulate my anger. That is how I control my anxiety. Honesty about your identity will lead to balance in your emotions. Don't copy how this world views identity. Base your identity in God. Allow Him to change the way you think, and you will be transformed from the inside out.
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Please send this devotional to whoever God puts on your heart. It may be scary but your act of faith may save their life. They can subscribe through this website or by texting the word “thoughts” to (844) 750-0137. If you would like to dive into this topic of what your identity being in Jesus means, purchase my new book, Just Jesus. Link below.
Just Jesus by Pace Fordham Out Now!
