"Even Though..."

Have you ever filled a water balloon up with too much water and had it explode all over you? It happens to almost everyone at least once. It's not such a bad problem to have when its blazing hot outside in the middle of the summer time. But sometimes an emotional breakdown also happens when it's not convenient... when it's unwelcome.

I think our emotions can sometimes explode on us like a too-full water balloon. Whether it's anger boiling over, scalding yourself and those around you, or if it's sadness that rains down like a cloudburst, we all know the feeling of loosing control of our emotions.

Recently as part of my journey to healing I've been experimenting with different methods of emotional control. One of the helpful techniques I have uncovered that I want to share with you today is called emotional freedom technique (abbreviated EFT), or tapping. It is based on a combination acupuncture/acupressure points linked to energy meridians in the body and positive affirmations. Anyone can learn EFT in a matter of five minutes or less.

I will admit, the first time I was exposed to EFT, I thought it was a little wacky. What can tapping all over your body and talking out loud to yourself possibly accomplish in relieving emotional pressure? Well, surprisingly... quite a lot! More than you would expect, at any rate.

Besides being a bit wacky, I wasn't quite sure that I theologically agreed with some of the premises behind EFT. I wasn't comfortable with being so honest about my emotions. I wasn't comfortable with being okay with them, or with the strange idea of forgiving myself for having them. Being raised as a Christian, I think one thing that is lacking in the evangelical church is a healthy method for dealing with emotions. In fact, I think I was almost taught to ignore and suppress my emotions. This approach is inadequate. Emotions are real. They can be life-dominating. But there are ways of dealing with them rather than whipping out one Bible verse like the proverbial bandaid on a broken bone.

Emotions need to be acknowledged and taken at face value. I appreciate John Piper's remarks in When I Don't Desire God along this vein. Piper is one of the few Christians who I have seen deal with emotions and their place in the Christian walk. In this book, Piper points out that Joy and Delight in God are commands. Hear that? Commands. An emotional response is commanded. You do it - you're good. You don't do it - you're sinning.

So what happens when we don't? We ignore that emotion, right? Um, nooooooo. We pray. We say, Abba, I know I'm supposed to be joyful, but right now I am upset. I am burdened by the challenges I am facing. I am struggling. Please forgive me for my sin, but please help me to obey! Empower me with Your Spirit. 

Do you notice what is different in the Piper approach? There is a stated or unstated, "Even though...." There is an acknowledgement of what is lacking. That's what it's supposed to be like. Emotions were never meant to be denied. If they are, why do we have them? If we deny them, we cannot work through them. And we end up like that exploded water balloon and have a big mess on our hands. So here's an "even though" we all need: Even though your emotions might be out of control right now, they can be controlled. You can control them. The power to do so is within your grasp.

After understanding this and beginning to grasp it's impact on the way I live my daily life, I became more open to EFT. I no longer saw it as something wacky. I began to see it as something I had been looking for all my life without knowing what it is I was really searching for. It was a way to release the emotions healthily rather than to allow them to dam up and stagnate, only be be triggered again at a later time. It was a way to purge my body of long-standing stressors and unhealthy emotional patterns.

Again, as I mentioned earlier, EFT is a combination of using your fingertips to tap on designated points, mostly around the face, and speaking or whispering a series of positive affirmations to yourself. The tapping points are easy and I recommend checking out this article and the diagrams it contains if you wish to learn them. You'll have the hang of it in no time, I promise!

The 'positive affirmations' bit is a little trickier. The idea behind it is that, if you repetitively speak the truth that your heart and soul need to hear, it will eventually become ingrained in your body as a subconscious and steadfast knowledge. We actually do this all the time. Think about your favorite songs, quotes, or what you like to talk about. Don't those concepts and styles become embedded into your very personality? My dad has a playlist of songs he listens to daily. Why? It's his own way of doing EFT, and he doesn't even realize it ;) He is preparing his mind for the action of the day through what he is listening to every morning. What about your cell phone alarm or phone ringtone? All these things send us subtle messages, and our body absorbs them, even if the mind does not make a conscious effort to. It's like this quote below:

"Watch your thoughts; they become words. Watch your words; they become actions. Watch your actions; they become habit. Watch your habits; they become character. Watch your character; it becomes your destiny." (Source debatable)

So think of it this way: if you can change your thoughts which are leading to worry, lust, anger, guilt, greed, manipulation... whatever it is you are doing battle with and desire to conquer... then you can change your destiny. EFT assists in that process of changing your thoughts be actually making you think about them (duh) as you articulate those thoughts with precise words, which in turn helps you learn to believe the truth. And, by forcing your mind to recognize your emotions, you are actually following the Biblical command to take every thought captive (2 Corinthians 10:5). If you constantly think about all the food you want to eat, you will feel hungry constantly and I promise you, you will overeat. If instead you focus on feeling full and satisfied, you will in turn feel that way. If you dwell on your past mistakes, refusing to accept God's forgiveness and refusing to forgive yourself, you will be plagued by guilt. If instead you meditate on the cross and the finished work of Christ, you will be free. And on and on it goes. But you have to acknowledge the sin and look it in the face before the liberation can take place.

I am planning on trying to make some videos within the next few days of EFT sequences written specifically for believers who want to learn more about and practice EFT without the overly emotional, sometimes psychological overtones of most EFT routines available on the Internet. Hopefully I will be able to film and upload them to YouTube within the next few days. So, stay tuned!

In the mean time, you can actually practice EFT to many songs. I like this song below, which I actually use as a regular part of my morning routine because it takes an honest look at emotions and follows the "even though" template, answering the "even though..." with the power and presence of God.

Even though I feel so lonely
Like I have never been before
You never said it would be easy
But You said You'd see me through the storm. 

Joyfully yours,
Camille