Feeling Emotionless

[Meeker]

Is it ever normal as a Christian to feel like you literally have no emotions? I just don't know how to approach God like this. It's really like I have no emotion. I feel completely empty. I feel like I haven't had any compassion, or love, or joy or even intense pain. Maybe the closest thing was fear. It's like...when I hear about something on the news, I don't feel anything...when you hear reports of something horrible happening to people. A girl getting raped. People in Haiti. A certain song. Seeing even someone I know going through something. But it's like I can't feel anything, no compassion no anger. The last time I can recall feeling absolute joy was when God touched me when I got prayer at church. For the first time in a long time, for a while, at that time God took all my sorrow away and I was actually at peace and happy.

But for so long I feel like I can't feel anything. Yes, I know we shouldn't let our emotions rule over us, and be tossed and turned like waves...but what if you can't even feel something? Feeling are sort of like fuel in a way, or triggers.

And it's just frustrating. Tonight my Dad got really angry and he yelled and he screamed and he cursed at me and I knew, I could see how he felt, but even then there was no spark. I couldn't feel anything. I couldn't feel. My mind could only recognize it needed to change it's ways but on the inside there was nothing.

And then it makes you start hating yourse lf. "How can I ever be of God, if I can't even have emotions? I hate myself! I am worthless! I'll never change or be able to change and this situation will never get better!".

 

[RobertZ]

Is it ever normal as a Christian to feel like you literally have no emotions? I just don't know how to approach God like this. It's really like I have no emotion. I feel completely empty. I feel like I haven't had any compassion, or love, or joy or even intense pain. Maybe the closest thing was fear. It's like...when I hear about something on the news, I don't feel anything...when you hear reports of something horrible happening to people. A girl getting raped. People in Haiti. A certain song. Seeing even someone I know going through something. But it's like I can't feel anything, no compassion no anger. The last time I can recall feeling absolute joy was when God touched me when I got prayer at church. For the first time in a long time, for a while, at that time God took all my sorrow away and I was actually at peace and happy.

But for so long I feel like I can't feel anything. Yes, I know we shouldn't let our emotions rule over us, and be tossed and turned like waves...but what if you can't even feel something? Feeling are sort of like fuel in a way, or triggers.

And it's just frustrating. Tonight my Dad got really angry and he yelled and he screamed and he cursed at me and I knew, I could see how he felt, but even then there was no spark. I couldn't feel anything. I couldn't feel. My mind could only recognize it needed to change it's ways but on the inside there was nothing.

And then it makes you start hating yourse lf. "How can I ever be of God, if I can't even have emotions? I hate myself! I am worthless! I'll never change or be able to change and this situation will never get better!".

Brother first let me tell you that you are not alone. Last year I went through something similar to what you are describing, it was the most horrible most depressing time of my life ever. It was as if I had lost all feelings and emotions, its like a feeling of numbness and you feel completely detached from everybody and everything around you. The whole world feels as though it died right before your eyes doesnt it?

Im not sure what your situation was prior to this happening to you but I will tell you that I was involved in a lifestyle of very heavy unrepentant sinning and I figured that it caught up with me and God was chasetening me. To be honest with you I was not sure if I had ever really been saved before and when I started to seek the Lord dilegently all these really bad things started to happen to me.

So for me it is either a satanic attack because satan does not want me drawing near to God or it is God punishing me for my sins so that I will seek his face again.

Just keep seeking God even when you dont feel anything, read the book of Job as that might help you a lot.

 

[Worcester Beacon]

Agreed with RobertZ. I think that most Christians will go throught his in their journey. I have had the non-emotion times and I find that it can be demoralising.

The answer I have is keep talking to God in prayer, He listens and He knows that you are a good person and He knows that you love Him. Prayer need not be in church and on your knees etc, I often pray as I walk to town and rarely formal, usually in the shape of a conversation.

 

[BigNorsk]

Sounds like you could very well be describing depression. People think depression is just that you are sad but what you are describing very well could be.

I would suggest in any case it sounds like some talking to a mental health provider would be a good thing. Feeling worthless isn't good, and they can often help you with that.

At the end of winter like it is, a lot of people feel like you are describing. Between Seasonal Affective Disorder/Depression and vitamin D deficiency we become a very problematic society this time of year.

 

[RobertZ]

Sounds like you could very well be describing depression. People think depression is just that you are sad but what you are describing very well could be.

This is true and he likely is depressed and doesnt realize it. I am 36yrs old and the majority of my life I think I have always had a small chemical imbalance but for some reason it exploded last year into something serious. Im sure my sin was related to it once I realized how far from God my heart had gotten.

I ended up going to a doctor and was diagnosed with depression and OCD. Im on meds now and they have helped a lot. I used to be against meds for depression because I always thought is was an excuse to find relief from anything but God but this is not true at all. God allowed these meds to be created for a reason.

Just remember that some of the most depressed people such as John Bunyan, Charles spurgeon ETC were used by God greatly! take this affliction for what it is and know that God is in absolute control!

 

[IreneAdler]

Do you feel like you've been used in the past, that people take advantage of you and that you're validated when people make an effort to be with you (this is a leading question. I've had similar issues and my solution may work for you).

 

[Meeker]

I don't think I'm depressed, and no I don't feel taken advantage of. I just feel empty. A Christian shouldnt feel so empty. But I feel like I never have any deep emotions. I almost feel like...if something horrible were to happen in front of me, even a car accident or something, I wonder if I'd feel anything. Because I don't feel anything inside.

 

[IreneAdler]

I felt like that before too, but I think it was a response to not being able to say no, and not being able to find value in myself. It's hard to appreciate anything else if you can't appreciate yourself. It's only since I did some boundary training that I can look outside and it can make me happy if it's pretty, and I can enjoy my dog and my girls. I do agree with everyone who did say you're not alone, even if we've not been in the same place for the same reason.

 

[gzt]

Emotions are, in large part, weather. Don't worry about them. I mean, don't be a psychopath because you don't "feel" as much as others, but actions are what matters. Faith, hope, and love are not feelings, they're actions. If I'm drowning, I don't care what the person who pulls me out of the water is "feeling" just then. Etc etc. Some people "feel" more than others. That's not really not important.

 

[Johnnz]

Generally our emotions get connected from a warm, accepting, physical and expressive family background. If that's not there we can find emotions rather uncomfortable or almost non existent. But it's not a terminal state. Application can change things very significantly.

John
NZ

 

[wonderwaleye]

Is it ever normal as a Christian to feel like you literally have no emotions? I just don't know how to approach God like this. It's really like I have no emotion. I feel completely empty. I feel like I haven't had any compassion, or love, or joy or even intense pain. Maybe the closest thing was fear. It's like...when I hear about something on the news, I don't feel anything...when you hear reports of something horrible happening to people. A girl getting raped. People in Haiti. A certain song. Seeing even someone I know going through something. But it's like I can't feel anything, no compassion no anger. The last time I can recall feeling absolute joy was when God touched me when I got prayer at church. For the first time in a long time, for a while, at that time God took all my sorrow away and I was actually at peace and happy.

But for so long I feel like I can't feel anything. Yes, I know we shouldn't let our emotions rule over us, and be tossed and turned like waves...but what if you can't even feel something? Feeling are sort of like fuel in a way, or triggers.

And it's just frustrating. Tonight my Dad got really angry and he yelled and he screamed and he cursed at me and I knew, I could see how he felt, but even then there was no spark. I couldn't feel anything. I couldn't feel. My mind could only recognize it needed to change it's ways but on the inside there was nothing.

And then it makes you start hating yourse lf. "How can I ever be of God, if I can't even have emotions? I hate myself! I am worthless! I'll never change or be able to change and this situation will never get better!".

Words that discribe this best is " the walking dead ". It is a very bad feeling but we have the ability to come out of this by going to GOD in prayer and letting your heart out holding nothing back. Let HIM know everything and exactly how you feel.

Then you need GOD'S WORD working in your life. Read and reread the NEW TESTIMENT until the next time you read it you will already know what IT'S going to say. For then IT'S locked in your heart to draw from the rest of your life. You will never be sorry you did. This is GOD'S ROADMAP given to us so that we are able to walk up that path to the KINGDOM of ALMIGHTY GOD

Faith is no different then building a muscle. We MUST excercise IT or lose it.


" [FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Isaiah
[/FONT][FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Chapter 34:[/FONT]




[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]16 Look in the book of the LORD and read: No one of these shall be lacking, For the mouth of the LORD has ordered it, and his spirit shall gather them there. [/FONT]"
steven

 

[send.the.rain]

I used to feel like that for as long as I can remember. I was emotionless, unlovable, an empty person. But I recently came to the Lord, and He poured His love out on me, and showed me how to love and be loved. When I feel that I am becoming emotionless, I just pray with all my heart. I pray that He will give me understanding.

 

[student ad x]

And then it makes you start hating yourse lf. "How can I ever be of God, if I can't even have emotions? I hate myself! I am worthless! I'll never change or be able to change and this situation will never get better!".

Hello sister,

If you feel that your actions are worthless, put yourself before the Lord and talk with Him about His glory, His grace and His love. Speak from the heart to Him that grants peace to those who seek Him. Tell Him that you wholeheartedly believe on the person and merit of Jesus Christ alone.... and His promises.

 

[Billy Lauwda]

i also feel the same thing since 2014, it happened one night, iwas daydreaming like ussual every night (i like to let my imagination to run wild i really reagret that since that day) then i feel a sudden pull to my leg. at that moment i feel like somthing is taken from mee. then days after days my emotions is startting to diminished, and its getting harder for my heart to be touched, i used to be a bhuddist back at primary 3 or 4 i cant remember it all, i converted to be a christian protestan cause my father is a protestan, at that time everything is normal for mee. then i go went back to a buddist, at primary 5 i think, idont know why but something feels like pulling me back at that time. then one time my ma take me to a buddist tample (she is always a buddist as 75% off my family is a buddist), when i look or stare at a statue, i feel like something went into mee as in something strike me or attached to me, and i feel it physiccally, then i remember that i became dizzy. a year later my chinese tuition teacher told me about chritianity, she had the same thing that had happened to me. then i decided to come back to chritianity as in protestan. then when im in primary 6 for some reason i becaming more sinfull and i feel like i cant stop my lust. then i started imgining about "those" stuff and i started to do those sinfull stuff. i started to forgot god at that part off my live. then that happned, the one on the top off thiss passage, then after that happened, i feel so wrong, i have been praying to god that im sorry and that i am very lust full and also that i have a negative mine and always imaginating "those" stuff, and also my mom and dad got deforced on 2011 so yeah my life is pretty much painfull and emotionless. i really need help to get my self back to shape back to normal back to being able to feel emotion and closer to god. i ussually read the bible often but i dont think i will be able to back to normal with just that. i feel so desperate about my life. i feel like i have been left for good by god. everytime when i prey i feel like sometthing is disturbing mee, i cant even think properly after that happened. i feel so wrong. i dont want my parents to know thiss as they be worried about me and they are very busy. and i ever discuss thiss with my mother and she does not believe me.

 

[brinny]

Is it ever normal as a Christian to feel like you literally have no emotions? I just don't know how to approach God like this. It's really like I have no emotion. I feel completely empty. I feel like I haven't had any compassion, or love, or joy or even intense pain. Maybe the closest thing was fear. It's like...when I hear about something on the news, I don't feel anything...when you hear reports of something horrible happening to people. A girl getting raped. People in Haiti. A certain song. Seeing even someone I know going through something. But it's like I can't feel anything, no compassion no anger. The last time I can recall feeling absolute joy was when God touched me when I got prayer at church. For the first time in a long time, for a while, at that time God took all my sorrow away and I was actually at peace and happy.

But for so long I feel like I can't feel anything. Yes, I know we shouldn't let our emotions rule over us, and be tossed and turned like waves...but what if you can't even feel something? Feeling are sort of like fuel in a way, or triggers.

And it's just frustrating. Tonight my Dad got really angry and he yelled and he screamed and he cursed at me and I knew, I could see how he felt, but even then there was no spark. I couldn't feel anything. I couldn't feel. My mind could only recognize it needed to change it's ways but on the inside there was nothing.

And then it makes you start hating yourse lf. "How can I ever be of God, if I can't even have emotions? I hate myself! I am worthless! I'll never change or be able to change and this situation will never get better!".

i suspect you are "shut down", "numb", possibly "burned out" spiritually?

It happens.

We are reminded not to rely on or "trust" our feelings, dear heart.

This is why.

You just needs a hug from your Father.

Yes, HE LOVES you, still.

Just take the numbness, shut-down-ness to Him.

He takes it from there.

He reads yer heart, and His precious Holy Spirit interprets ALL that is behind the numbness.

You are depleted, precious.

He "fills up" yer verrrry empty, exhausted tank.

Just like HE did with Elijah.

Remember him.

Prayers and hugggs for you, dear one. (((hug)))

 

[Greg J.]

Is it ever normal as a Christian to feel like you literally have no emotions? I just don't know how to approach God like this. It's really like I have no emotion. I feel completely empty. I feel like I haven't had any compassion, or love, or joy or even intense pain. Maybe the closest thing was fear. It's like...when I hear about something on the news, I don't feel anything...when you hear reports of something horrible happening to people. A girl getting raped. People in Haiti. A certain song. Seeing even someone I know going through something. But it's like I can't feel anything, no compassion no anger. The last time I can recall feeling absolute joy was when God touched me when I got prayer at church. For the first time in a long time, for a while, at that time God took all my sorrow away and I was actually at peace and happy.

But for so long I feel like I can't feel anything. Yes, I know we shouldn't let our emotions rule over us, and be tossed and turned like waves...but what if you can't even feel something? Feeling are sort of like fuel in a way, or triggers.

And it's just frustrating. Tonight my Dad got really angry and he yelled and he screamed and he cursed at me and I knew, I could see how he felt, but even then there was no spark. I couldn't feel anything. I couldn't feel. My mind could only recognize it needed to change it's ways but on the inside there was nothing.

And then it makes you start hating yourse lf. "How can I ever be of God, if I can't even have emotions? I hate myself! I am worthless! I'll never change or be able to change and this situation will never get better!".

I am like this a fair amount, but not all the time. First thing is, it sounds like you fall in the range of what is normal. How you evaluate normal is what may need some work. If your dad yells at and curses you, it means your environment is not all good for your emotional health. (I recommend increasing your daily prayer time, but do not neglect Bible study.)

How would you evaluate yourself if you were entirely happy about what you are like? (It may be hard or impossible to see yourself that way to know. Your self-esteem affects how you see your self-esteem.) How do Godly people who have joyfully sacrificed for your well being feel about the emotional issues you are concerned about? These are the people who are most likely to have God's love in their heart—which helps them have a perspective rooted in the truth. Unfortunately, it is pretty normal to not have anyone like this in your life; ask God for someone if that's the case.

You need a good church, if possible, even if you don't listen to the sermons. Meet with and pray with other Christians (and ask them for prayer). The groups I've been familiar with gladly accept people even if they don't go to their church. I recommend people who are a tiny bit older than you, if you have the choice. Your church should have organized groups for this purpose (sometimes called Bible study groups or "small groups").

People frequently have clinical depression without "feeling depressed." Read a list of symptoms online and see how many apply to you. A person can have clinical depression and be happy at the same time.

You can't evaluate your relationship with God by how you feel at all. It is a very bad trap to think like this. Your relationship with God is a spiritual condition, not an emotional (or physical) one.

Speaking of the increasing wickedness across the whole earth, Jesus said:

Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, (Matthew 24:12, 1984 NIV)

There is nothing you can do as an individual to prevent this from being the default, but obedience to God will eventually come back to help you (bless you in all ways, actually).

The absolute best thing to do for your spiritual health is to draw closer to the living Jesus who loves you, because the more you do this, the closer He will be to you. The benefits of being close to God are far greater than anything and will (over time) override everything negative in our lives.

Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. (James 4:7-8, 1984 NIV)

There is only one guaranteed way to be happy in the long-run, and that is to make seeking, knowing, and loving Jesus the focus of your life. He will deal with all kinds of stuff for you so you don't have to (Matthew 6:25-34).

 

[Lovedandblessed]

Hi everyone,

I think i am going through that empty heart phase at this very moment. I dont feel compassion towards others and i feel that god is distant this moment. I dont know how to love him. Last week, a friend told me that she could sense my emptiness. This came from a friend who i dont see that often, maybe once every fortnightly. And yesterday she prayed for me at church. How do you guys deal with going through this moment of feeling emotionless?

 

[Invalidusername]

Hi everyone,

I think i am going through that empty heart phase at this very moment. I dont feel compassion towards others and i feel that god is distant this moment. I dont know how to love him. Last week, a friend told me that she could sense my emptiness. This came from a friend who i dont see that often, maybe once every fortnightly. And yesterday she prayed for me at church. How do you guys deal with going through this moment of feeling emotionless?

I'm going thru the same thing. Can you pm me since this is a dead thread?

 

[Kit Sigmon]

Hi everyone,

I think i am going through that empty heart phase at this very moment. I dont feel compassion towards others and i feel that god is distant this moment. I dont know how to love him. Last week, a friend told me that she could sense my emptiness. This came from a friend who i dont see that often, maybe once every fortnightly. And yesterday she prayed for me at church. How do you guys deal with going through this moment of feeling emotionless?

Please, make your own thread about this so you can get replies to your own situation.

 

[aiki]

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