I was once sitting with a group of friends sharing childhood experiences, when we started talking about being raised by domineering mothers. Three women present called their mothers “narcissistic.” They related having to feed the emotional needs of the mother due to the father’s absence.
The oldest woman in the group told us that she used to have high anxiety and doesn’t anymore. We asked her why. What is her secret? I privately prayed it would include Jesus and not some strange diet or drug.
She said Jesus showed her some things about emotions. She learned that there were five “emotional blisters.” These blisters are like the noose that binds us to our fears. They are:
Rejection
Abandonment
Humiliation
Betrayal
Injustice
She described the fear-based behavior and attitude that could develop with each one.
People with abandonment issues become dependent and have a fear of solitude. People with a fear of rejection have panic issues. The fear of humiliation comes with a fear of being abused or becoming self-destructive. Those who have fear of betrayal often become controllers. Finally, those who have fear of injustice become rigid, fearful of the coldness of others. Her insights were impressive and yet simple. A trained psychologist might object to such a quick synopsis of the human condition, but through these insights, God delivered her from all her fears.
Before our group ended, she said, “Wait, wait! The best part is coming.”
So, as we waited with rapt attention she explained each one’s remedy:
EMOTIONAL BLISTER | REMEDY |
Rejection | Jesus will accept you |
Abandonment | Jesus adopts you and never leaves you |
Humiliation | Jesus approves of you |
Betrayal | God is faithful |
Injustice | God is just |
Someone once said, “it takes a brilliant person to see the complicated things in life, and a genius to make it simple again.” I believe when Jesus spoke few words, He also spoke volumes. This little meeting was one of those moments when truth spoke volumes to our hearts and minds. We left knowing that the Holy Spirit had shown us the remedy for all our crippling fears.
Blog post by: Marilyn Ravina, Abide Coach