A few weeks ago, I was reading a chapter in Joyce Meyer’s The Battle Belongs to the Lord where she mentioned the concept of “Emotional Leprosy.” Now, it was mentioned in a small portion of one sentence, but the idea struck me and has stuck with me since then, fermenting in my heart and mind. Recently (finally), I was able to put pen to paper about the topic…or finger to keys. This blog has gone through many stages, lots of turmoil and upheaval, and several drafts, but here it is.
What is leprosy? Webster's Dictionary defines it as:
A chronic infectious disease caused by a mycobacterium (Mycobacterium leprae) affecting especially the skin and peripheral nerves and characterized by the formation of nodules or macules that enlarge and spread accompanied by loss of sensation with eventual paralysis, wasting of muscle, and production of deformities.
Well, that’s a mouthful. Now, while I DEFINITELY don’t want to use this blog to clarify the various types of bacteria or go into the difference between nodules and macules (Is there a difference? Anyone?), I do think that we can gain a large amount of understanding about emotional leprosy from the definition of its physical counterpart.
Let me preface everything said from here on out with this one statement: I AM AN EMOTIONAL LEPER. Everything written here, I’ve done. In fact, I haven’t just done… I DO. But, even in my flaws and struggles, He still speaks truth.
From our good buddy, Webster’s definition of this infectious disease, we can also define emotional leprosy as chronic, growing, spreading, desensitizing, paralyzing, wasteful, and deforming.
First, emotional lepers are those who struggle with chronic emotional issues, the issues that appear over and over and over again. It is not just losing your temper once; it is continually struggling to keep your cool when minor things go wrong. It is not a moment of insecurity that you tuck into the back of your mind; it is insecurity that you dwell on, are consumed by, and that throws you into a tail spin.
Secondly, emotional leprosy comes from emotions that grow…often growing so speedily that they are soon out of control. Fear is no longer a natural, understandable response to a threatening situation; it has grown into your go-to response to every situation.
Third, leprous emotions are never restricted to one person. They suck others in. They spread to everyone around you. So much so, that soon the people who love you, the people who need you to be who you were created to be, the people whom you love and would sacrifice for are overwhelmed in the mire and muck that you’ve introduced into their lives. Like a virus, it rapidly passes from one person to another in quick succession. You’re insecurity can make others insecure. You’re fear can feed the fears of others. And, you’re wrong if you think your emotional chains are only ensnaring you.
Fourth, and in my opinion, one of the most damaging products of emotional leprosy is that it desensitizes you to the troubles of others. You become so wrapped up in your own little world that you fail to influence the world around you. Every conversation somehow circles back to your own issues. Every other problem pales in comparison to your own. Other people are floundering and struggling, but you don’t see. In all honesty, you don’t even care. You are incapable of feeling for other people. Emotional leprosy breeds selfishness.
Fifth, as believers, we are in trouble when our emotions paralyze us. I’ve experienced times, in fact, in brutal honesty, I’ve experienced times in the last three weeks where my fear has paralyzed me, where my insecurity left me frozen where I stood. I couldn’t go back (my mind knew better than that), but I couldn’t go forward (my heart was not focused on Jesus). There is no growth. There is no movement. There is just stagnation, paralysis, and eventual uselessness.
Sixth, emotional leprosy wastes the lives God has given each one of us. It wastes our talents, strengths, and gifts. It pains my heart to look back on my moments and days wasted because I chose to wallow in fear, anxiety, and insecurity. He has a plan for us. As believers, we affirm this statement in our hearts and minds. He has made us for more than these struggles. We cannot allow our emotions, bondages, and addictions to keep us from fulfilling His plan and purpose. We cannot allow our emotional leprosy to waste our spiritual muscles. Each day, each moment, can be spent in accordance with His plan, or it can be wasted. The choice is ours.
Lastly, if left unchecked and not dealt with, emotional leprosy can permanently scar and deform us. Our wounds, sometimes self-inflicted, but always dwelled on, elevated, and nursed by personal choice come to define us. We walk around as the Emotionally Deformed. We enter into relationships with others with the following excuses: “I can’t trust because…” “I refuse to love others completely because…” “I won’t feel deserving and secure because…” Our emotions become our label, our label for our relationships and ourselves.
Woah. I’m a complete emotional leper. Anyone else?
Well, Praise God, this isn’t the end of the story. Come back tomorrow for the best part: the fairytale ending.
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