by Heather Harney
Emotions are finicky things that drive each of us either forward or careening backward into a corner. Feelings are not always accurate because the scar tissue we accumulate through life sometimes masks the truth of our pain, sadness, grief, and joy. We are told to test our emotions, to listen to them, and to go with our gut. But how do we proceed when it comes to acting on right passions? If we agree with the Greek definition of “passion” found in The Philokalia v. 2 that states “passion” is what “happens to a person or thing, an experience undergone passively; hence an appetite or impulse such as anger, desire, or jealousy, that violently dominates the soul,”[1] we live a life of shadows without hope. Our beliefs become unhealthy, and we act in haste. Where does one begin when emotions are so entangled with such beliefs and practices? The simple answer is at the beginning—the moment of creation. The Spirit of God hovered over the water, the void, and the darkness and God spoke light into existence, and it was good.[2] The notion of good is not only created but understood for the first time. God’s creation is good. The Spirit of God is good. This simple truth is mostly understood in contrast to the word “bad.” Both words have connotations that develop over time and differently with each person. Most would agree that feeling good is better than feeling bad. Some would say that “good” and “bad” are not only feelings but are acted on because of certain beliefs, hence the entanglement of emotions. However, if we start with creation, sans our emotional understanding, we can begin to define the orthopathy of the Holy Spirit.
Definition:
I define the orthopathy of the Holy Spirit as a conscious choice to make sure my emotions are in tune with the guidance of the Holy Spirit. By examining my feelings in this light, my actions and beliefs are further shaped towards the goodness brought by God.
How does the Spirit shape our passions?
Our Triune God is emotional. God created us in His image. What does this mean? It does not say we are perfect, far from it. We are shattered vessels that inhabit this marvelous creation. Being formed in His image suggests that we have the capacity to emote and radiate goodness that is untainted by the fall, by our desire to seek fleeting happiness, and by the synapses in our brains. We can only do this if we accept Christ and place ourselves in the very hands of our creator by leaning on the Paraclete, the one who advocates for us, the third member of the Trinity, the Spirit.
Once we accept Christ as our Savior, the Holy Spirit leads “us to union—to transforming, personal intimate relationship with the Triune God. ‘This is eternal life that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent’” (John 17:3).”[3] With this relationship, the scales are pulled from our hearts and minds—there is no hiding because our Maker is within our entirety. This unity requires us to lean in, open our ears, and pray. As we move forward, the Spirit will reveal the gifts we have been given—though they need testing—but it is up to us to use them.
Identifying these gifts allow us to find our calling. God’s will be done and is done when we embrace the vocation He gives us. This calling may change in various ways over the years as does a piece of metal that starts as a square then becomes different pieces before being formed into a sword. It is in the fire that we can feel the goodness that directs us to right feelings. With the Spirit as both the anvil and the blacksmith, our passions will be fashioned, and we will cease to want what the world offers as right emotions because we have felt the sweet fire of grace, mercy, and unending joy—the feelings of true salvation.
In our salvation, the Holy Spirit hones our identity in the body of Christ. While each of us plays a different function, we are all part of a larger whole and should be aware of the body’s orthopathy. If some part is not just or does not step into the goodness created by God, then the body must act together to right the ship. When Anthony of Egypt wrote that our “irrational mind,” is counter to the “rational work of the Spirit that enables true depth and understanding, living according to Christ, not in and for” the world, he was directing believers to seek “a heart of knowledge and spirit of discernment” that is only found in the Triune God.[4] This world holds many distractions that create a false sense of joy or that promise happiness. God did not create us to feel happiness—this is a fleeting and worldly emotion—He formed us in joy which is only eternally found in Him.
The Spirit also helps us recognize the difference between passion and emotion. Passion is something that creates a longing and fills us with everlasting joy—it drives us forward. An example of true passion is found in the ministry of Jesus and the constant companion, the Spirit. The Spirit protected and guided Jesus while he wandered the desert for forty days. Jesus longed for believers to know the unending joy found in salvation, so much so that He gifted the Spirit to all of us. Emotions are visceral. They can stop us dead in our tracks, cloud our judgment, or overwhelm our body initiating a fight or flight response.
An example of this can be found when Jesus told the Disciples that he would die soon. They did not believe him. Peter even rebuked Jesus which led to Christ telling the devil to get behind Him. Even with Christ standing in their midst, they did not hear the truth because of their fear.
During the Enlightenment, we were told to trust science and not our emotions. Today, emotions drive us and distract us from seeking the transformation found in the Spirit. The Spirit is not beholden to the philosophy of man, nor the pursuit of science; the Spirit serves as a teacher and guiding light. We are enlightened when the Spirit’s hand changes our emotions into passions. With a new understanding of what is good in our life, we begin to live out what we feel thus reflecting the unending love of God.
For myself, emotions are layered with minefields. Being Bipolar requires me to triage and identify my feelings as soon as possible; I need to recognize what is real and what is compounded. Emotions are the enemy’s best way to oppress me, to stifle my walk, and push the broken me into the proverbial corner. When I am in a season of mania, I am convinced I am invincible, that I whatever I desire I can have, and only I know what I need. When I experience manic depression, my emotions are invisible shackles that bind me to the darkest of places. I cannot trust the voices in my head. My desire for nothingness drives me. Sarah Coakley writes “the intensification of desire orients toward the source of life and eternal substantiation, so what is required for liberation to avoid either oppression or repression is the ‘paradox of power and vulnerability’ of waiting on God.”[5]
For many years, I thought God either laughed at my brokenness or didn’t care. When I received my diagnosis in September 2011, my life and all its ups and downs finally made sense. God created me. He gifted me with this condition and with the Spirit’s guidance, I am pursuing my passion/calling to become an active voice in disability theology/studies.
While I still struggle with oppression, the Spirit is helping use my voice to create conversations that might otherwise be avoided. An example of this is the subject of women being allowed to lead or teach. 1 Timothy 2:11-13 is used quite often to point out that women should be quiet and are not permitted to lead. Every time this is brought up, my emotions get the better of me. The anger floods my head and I stifle a primal scream. To respond in this state would only result in a conflict, so I seek respite in the Spirit. Only after the anger is gone, do I decide how to proceed. The Spirit allows me to be honest about whatever is on my heart or mind. There are no barriers, no topics that are taboo. The Spirit is renovating how I see myself, how I speak, and how I view my emotions.
My daily rhythm requires a couple of check-ins with the Spirit regarding my feelings and my calling. Connecting with the Divine, clearing out the world, helps me move forward into the light and away from the shadows. The Spirit is both my rudder and anchor.
Without understanding that the Spirit wants me to know the goodness of God, the salvation offered by the Son, I would not be alive or functioning today. The Spirit is the ever-small voice that breaks through the cacophony of spiteful voices that plague me. The Spirit guides me to think about what is right, just, true, and beautiful in this world. Orthopathy of the Spirit is not an easy thing to understand because it relies on feelings—not only that, it requires one to know the definition of “good” as God sees it. The moment of creation reflected God’s emotion—He wants us to feel the good He felt. The Spirit has always and will always be here hovering besides, above, and within us molding our passions, calling, emotions, and identity. If we do not believe in God, then orthopathy in the Spirit cannot be achieved.
[1] Patrick Oden, Week 4 Lecture Pneumatology: Theologies of the Holy Spirit , Slide 4.
[2] Genesis 1 NIV
[3] Clark H. Pinnock, Flame of Love: A Theology of The Holy Spirit, (InterVarsity Press: Downers Grove: 1996) 149.
[4] Patrick Oden, Week 4 Lecture Pneumatology: Theologies of the Holy Spirit, Slide 11.
[5] Patrick Oden, Week 4 Lecture Pneumatology: Theologies of the Holy Spirit, Slide 19.
Six Steps Since 
I just have one word, WOW! Thank you for sharing this, I’m constantly searching for understanding in His word and one of my biggest problems is getting those feelings understood.