Healthy Venting – Part 1
Venting around the house is crucial. Furnaces vent harmful fumes from the contained fires they create in our homes. Water heaters vent fumes as well, and they also have a T&P relief valve to release dangerous levels of temperature and pressure. If not vented properly, these home appliances will vent, often with destructive results.
Humans need to be vented as well, releasing pent-up, negative emotions. Not all would agree, but I believe we shouldn’t be afraid of healthy venting. God isn’t. The Bible is full of venting by people considered to be godly. In fact, entire books of the Bible are loaded with venting – The Book of Job, King David’s Psalms, and certainly Lamentations! And yes, Jesus vented when He cleared the temple; in the Garden of Gethsemane; and even on the cross.
Yet there are extremes in venting to be avoided. Some bury all negative feelings, holding back until they blow up. Others never express anger or painful emotions, believing venting is always inappropriate or a sign of weakness, thus slowly poisoning themselves with negativity.
Some baptize their venting, constantly unleashing anger. Yet, “A fool always loses his temper, but a wise man holds it back” (Proverbs 29:11). Some use anger as a tool, which may “work” on some level, but not on the level it counts, “For the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God” (James 1:19-20)
I believe healthy venting is a good thing, but not an end in itself. I learned a lot about venting during my battle with Stage IV metastatic melanoma. For me, it was and is the beginning of a process to reseat Jesus Christ as bigger than all my problems and greater than all my fears! We need to “Get it all out – to get it all out!” Tune in next post for more on resolving our negative feelings.
*Do you know “The Two Ways to Get to Heaven“?
thank for this, joe. i didn’t vent until i got to the “other side,” where i thought things were going to be just like they always were. but after two years of returning to work with post cancer problems, fatigue, and a nasty employer, the venting began. i now readily vent to God about loss, expectations, pain, and a confinement i’ve never experienced. i am so thankful that God did not leave out this important emotion that even Jesus was allowed to experience.
Great testimony, Suzanne, about the benefits of healthy venting! Yes, Jesus vented quite a bit, more than once!! Thanks for writing! So glad you and your guests came to the banquet!! It was a great time. More to come via email in next couple days.
~ Joe Fornear
Hi Sharon, it is wonderful to have some flesh and blood comforters as well as our Great Comforter!
I totally agree about venting. I have my sisters and close girlfriend I vent to and with.