When you squeeze an orange, orange juice comes out, because that’s what’s inside. When you are squeezed, what comes out is what is inside.
Wayne W. Dyer
I recently had a rough experience at a doctor’s appointment. I was stressed out, anxious, emotional, and clearly on edge because my doctor pointed it out and told me I needed to “calm down.” That my “vibes” were “coming at him, like Woah!”
And then he laughed.
It took every ounce of self-control I had not to lose it right then and there. My lip quivered as I pushed my way through the door after the appointment was over. By the time my husband and I reached the van, I couldn’t respond to what he was saying. Words wouldn’t come. Only tears.
A floodgate had opened, and there was no holding back the torrent of emotions I was feeling. I was useless the rest of the day. I was hit with wave after wave of uncontrollable tears, and BOY was I mad at that doctor!
He’s the one who set me off, after all. He pushed me over the edge. How dare he treat me that way? He had no idea what I was dealing with!
And even though he clearly needs to work on his bedside manner, or at least brush up on patient psychology, that doesn’t change the fact that my reaction and my tears weren’t this man’s fault.
Those tears came from a much deeper place than I initially wanted to admit.
Rejection, humiliation, insecurity
These feelings aren’t foreign to me, and at that moment, I didn’t want to confront the fact that old wounds don’t simply disappear. The opposite is true. Buried issues left unresolved will surface when we least expect them to.
When we’re under pressure, our words, actions, and body language speak volumes about our inward state.
When we’re offended, rejected, humiliated, criticized, abandoned, deceived, etc…
What’s inside comes out.
If what comes out is insecurity, anxiety, fear, shame, bitterness, or anger, that only means we’re human. It means we have more work to do. Our feelings are normal! Nobody gets through this life untouched. Healing takes time, and it can be a long and difficult process.
The good news is, we don’t have to do it alone! It can be helpful to talk to someone you trust: a close friend, family member, pastor, or professional counselor are all great options. We all need help from time to time, and there’s absolutely no shame in that.
Better yet, we can invite God into our lives and trust Him with all the “stuff” lingering in our hearts and minds.
The next time you react negatively to a situation and later ask yourself, “Where did that come from?!” don’t beat yourself up. Recognize that you’ve been “squeezed.” Pay attention to your reaction, what the deeper issue(s) might be, and take it to God.
He can take the feelings you’ve stuffed down deep, and replace them with hope, peace, joy, love, grace, confidence, forgiveness, and so much more.
