"The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me,
Because the Lord has anointed and commissioned me
To bring good news to the humble and afflicted;
He has sent me to bind up [the wounds of] the brokenhearted,
To proclaim release [from confinement and condemnation] to the [physical and spiritual] captives
And freedom to prisoners."--Isaiah 61:1(AMP)
Emotional Avoidance is defined as a maladaptive, self-protective coping mechanism. It is generally characterized by the effort to avoid dealing with a stressor. This style of coping is a breeding ground for anxiety, stress, and depression. It torments the soul and plagues the mind. Even the most intricate efforts to avoid will boomerang back because what we are trying desperately to avoid simply does not go away. It wants to stay! We can ignore it, hide it, disguise it, or even attempt to run from it--but it will run alongside us. It is a distance runner, in it for the long haul and poised to bring perpetual distress and bondage.
I once spoke with someone who had a very elaborate fantasy that she was romantically involved with a famous athlete. Although she was fully cognizant that she had created this fantasy life, it was easier and safer than facing some painful realities--some of which included early childhood struggles with parental rejection and abandonment.
When our souls have been deeply wounded, as in the case above, the struggle to cope with the pain of our hearts is real. We must grapple with making a critical decision, Do we want to live a life of avoidance? Thereby conceding to perpetual emotional exhaustion and inner turmoil. Or, Are we willing to do the hard work by getting to the root cause of the pain; the source of avoidance?
Leaning heavily on the Scriptures and trusting in the promises of God enables us to do the hard work and ultimately uproots the source of our emotional avoidance.
"Be strong and courageous! Do not be terrified or dismayed (intimidated), for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”--Joshua 1:9(AMP)
The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance [to the full, till it overflows]."--John 10:10(AMP)
Points to Consider
* If you desire freedom from emotional avoidance, confess this to God in prayer.
*Meditate on Isaiah 61:1, Joshua 1:9, and John 10:10
* Consider seeking out godly counsel from your pastor or a Christian counselor.
If you would like Christian counseling in this area via A Broken Heart's GPS Christian Counseling and Resource Center, please email: lauri@abrokenheartsgps.org or call 1(866)460-8976.
Because the Lord has anointed and commissioned me
To bring good news to the humble and afflicted;
He has sent me to bind up [the wounds of] the brokenhearted,
To proclaim release [from confinement and condemnation] to the [physical and spiritual] captives
And freedom to prisoners."--Isaiah 61:1(AMP)
Emotional Avoidance is defined as a maladaptive, self-protective coping mechanism. It is generally characterized by the effort to avoid dealing with a stressor. This style of coping is a breeding ground for anxiety, stress, and depression. It torments the soul and plagues the mind. Even the most intricate efforts to avoid will boomerang back because what we are trying desperately to avoid simply does not go away. It wants to stay! We can ignore it, hide it, disguise it, or even attempt to run from it--but it will run alongside us. It is a distance runner, in it for the long haul and poised to bring perpetual distress and bondage.
I once spoke with someone who had a very elaborate fantasy that she was romantically involved with a famous athlete. Although she was fully cognizant that she had created this fantasy life, it was easier and safer than facing some painful realities--some of which included early childhood struggles with parental rejection and abandonment.
When our souls have been deeply wounded, as in the case above, the struggle to cope with the pain of our hearts is real. We must grapple with making a critical decision, Do we want to live a life of avoidance? Thereby conceding to perpetual emotional exhaustion and inner turmoil. Or, Are we willing to do the hard work by getting to the root cause of the pain; the source of avoidance?
Leaning heavily on the Scriptures and trusting in the promises of God enables us to do the hard work and ultimately uproots the source of our emotional avoidance.
"Be strong and courageous! Do not be terrified or dismayed (intimidated), for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”--Joshua 1:9(AMP)
The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance [to the full, till it overflows]."--John 10:10(AMP)
Points to Consider
* If you desire freedom from emotional avoidance, confess this to God in prayer.
*Meditate on Isaiah 61:1, Joshua 1:9, and John 10:10
* Consider seeking out godly counsel from your pastor or a Christian counselor.
If you would like Christian counseling in this area via A Broken Heart's GPS Christian Counseling and Resource Center, please email: lauri@abrokenheartsgps.org or call 1(866)460-8976.
