What to do with all the “feels” from watching The Chosen
“It may be the moments that bring tears to our eyes that are the exact places where the Lord is inviting us to be with Him.”
If you follow the TV series The Chosen on social media, you’ll notice a theme: the show makes people emotional. And for good reason: the characters are well-developed and relatable, and the stories told tug at our heartstrings.
But is there something deeper going on? The show, a multi-season series about the life of Christ, or perhaps more accurately, the lives of those who followed him, depicts characters having encounters with Jesus that send the audience reaching for the tissue box.
In other tear-jerking shows, we may brush off the emotions brought up by the stories unfolding on screen. But The Chosen seems different. For followers of Jesus, what we watch on the screen depicts real people; some we know well, others we are getting to know. But most importantly, we are watching our faith's main character and central figure: Jesus.
So, is there reason to be curious about the feelings that come up in us as we watch stories of Jesus?
If our hearts are important to God, there can be only one answer: “Yes!”
The moments that bring tears to our eyes may be the exact places where the Lord invites us to be with Him.
Here are five steps to allow those experiences to become transforming moments of prayer and connection with the Lord while watching The Chosen.
Notice - The first step is to allow yourself to notice—with gentleness—that emotions are coming up. Notice what is being stirred in your heart, your feelings, and what God may want to bring to your attention.
Consider - The next step is to consider what those feelings are attached to. Can you connect the feelings to something else in your life? Is what just happened on screen what I need from Jesus? What truth is that scene offering? Is it a truth my heart needs to take in more deeply? What is this challenging me to think about?
Posture - When you start articulating what is going on in your heart (even if you can’t yet), open your heart to the Lord. Seek to allow God to enter those places, those feelings, with you. God knows them already. Bring your attention to the fact that God’s loving presence is with you as you feel whatever you are feeling.
Offer - Present what you have noticed to God. If you have words, offer them in prayer. If you don’t have words, just offer yourself as you are. We offer ourselves as living sacrifices (Romans 12:1).
Receive - Allow yourself to receive from the Lord. Perhaps this means listening; maybe it means a cathartic cry as you receive his love, or perhaps it means enjoying God’s presence in silence with hands open in a receptive posture. Allow your heart to take in what the Lord wants to give you in this experience.
* Bonus—Write it down—a word, a phrase, or journal it all. Make that moment a marker in your spiritual life to remind you of the truth when things get difficult—something to return to and anchor you.
If The Chosen brings up emotions for you, you’re not alone. From the beginning, when we encounter Jesus, we are changed; this series creates visual opportunities to encounter our Lord again and again. So, watch and enjoy. Meet with Jesus. Let him love you. Open your heart. And be changed.
For more on “why” The Chosen is such an impactful tool in our spiritual life, check out the article The Chosen: Changing our minds (and hearts) about God
To explore more of the invitations God may be presenting to you, consider meeting with a Spiritual Director or other trained listener. Spiritual Directors are trained to help you respond to what God is doing in your life and can come from multiple faith traditions including Catholic, Protestant, and Jewish (links to helpful resources below.)
For resources to find a Spiritual Director check out these websites:
Spiritual Directors International
Evangelical Spiritual Directors Association
