There is a stigma in sports not to show emotion. When athletes get injured, they usually cover their faces. A smaller team cannot show fear when the other team is bigger and larger in numbers. When things are happening outside of sports, the athlete is told to shut them out and focus on the game. These things are not necessarily bad, but they have caused many student-athletes and coaches to think emotions should be hidden or blocked out.

But God says the opposite. He tells us to gather up our emotions and bring them to Him. He wants us to deal with our feelings, not run away or shut them out. We also see strong men break down and bring their emotions to God. David poured out his feelings. He was a great warrior who fought the giant Goliath, but David was also an ordinary man with everyday emotions. This great warrior was terrified for a good portion of his life, but he didn’t hide it, suck it up or put on a show. He didn’t wave the flag of bravery around; instead, when David had these emotions, he retreated to a cave and cried.

When we read John 11:35, the shortest verse in the Bible, we see who else didn’t hide their emotions. The verse says, “Jesus wept.” God’s Son, the King of all Kings, the Almighty, the Great Defender, Warrior, and the Conqueror Over Death wept.

Sometimes, blocking out our emotions in sports is good and helps us get past a hard game or season. But if we let our emotions stay locked in and never take them to God or someone we trust, our emotions will hurt and confuse us. God wants us to bring our feelings to Him so He can help us walk through them. God made our emotions so He will understand how to help us through them.