But if all we do is control or manage our emotions, we lose touch with ourselves, our need for God, and our need for each other. Control shuts us down. Not just the difficult-to-face emotion we don’t want to feel, but also our enjoyment of our friendships, the depth of prayer, the tears that used to pop up when we sang “Amazing Grace” at church, the creativity that used to inspire words or art or fun in our lives. It all gets shut out if we try to shut out some of it.
