Wow, what an incredible thread! Thanks Cari for starting it and thanks everybody for so much wisdom and insight!
I’ve struggled a little with these sorts of issues as well (issues of the role of emotions in spiritual development) but perhaps from a different perspective. When I converted to Christianity from agnosticism I was a little overwhelmed with a mixture of emotions: excitement and joy and exhilaration at the fact that there is God who is all knowing and all powerful (and if it was only these two I might actually be terrified, quite terrified) and best of all, all loving in a very personal special way with each of us. Also tremendous joy at getting to know countless loving wonderful caring interesting hopeful Christians who cared deeply for my relationship with God.
I also felt much anxiety about having lived most of my life without knowledge and faith in God (God and faith in him as creator, redeemer and ultimate love suddenly becoming THE most important aspect of my existence) and great anxiety at times at the fact that I knew little about God and that I still had doubts in my mind about the most important aspects of our human existence.
Even though I expereinced lots of emotion I still craved a direct emotional feeling from God’s interaction with me, one that is unmistakeably from Him. My faith suffered and I wanted a miracle in my life to prove to myself that he exists. Now a few years on I have relaxed a little and can see God’s hand all around me through my eyes of faith. Instead of midblowing miracles I see almost constantly little miracles and some slightly larger ones that reinforce my faith. Somewhere in there I was told and read that spiritual development comes best when your emotions are not the main thing, that you come to live secure in your faith and not in a self-centred emotional way. Nonethelss, I guess since I’m still early in my walk with God I feel the closest to God when I feel an emotional response to Him, similarly to how it is when I’m in the embrace of a friend or family member with whom I love after experiencing a loving precious time with them.
A gift from God to me has been the book “The practice of the presence of God” by Br. Lawrence. In it he teaches a very simple method one can use to delight oneself with thoughts of God at all times, sort of a continuous prayer, in which, in your everyday life, remind yourself that God sees you and hears you intimately at all times, and is loving you so intimately at all times. It fills me with a calm constant joy and peace in being a child of God. Then during instances of receiving Jesus in the Eucharist, the feelings experienced are that much more reverent and joyful.
In my mind, it seems to me that maybe I am creating the positive emotions of the joy of God in myself through my own actions, through my own imagination, and perhaps it is not God directly filling me with joy. Perhaps it is more directly from God than I will ever know in this life. It doesn’t matter so much to me. The thing that’s important to me now is that I believe this simple act of keeping God present in my mind as much as possible is pleasing to God because my love for Him and feelings of intimacy with him have grown throught this simple practice: using my imagination to remind myself in a simple way, what I know to be true by faith: that God knows all, is all powerful and all loving in a very personal and special way and that we are all, each of us in his very specific, personal, constantly attentive, loving presence. And at the same time constantly mentally giving thanks for the joy that is experienced.
One time after receiving the eucharist at mass I began to cry at the sheer love and the incredible way in which Jesus gives himself to us which I am sure is helped by just letting myself think about what is really happeneing literally and spiritually during the mass and communion. The real presence is just an astounding incredible thing, that our God and creator can give himeslf to us hidden in the host. In my mind this causes an emotional response regardless of whether or not Jesus causes a supernatural inspiring emotional response in you. I used to think that if it is really Jesus hidden in the host that His action in communion must cause some sort of emotional response in you regardless of what you are thinking about or regardless of whether you are being reverent or irreverent in your worship. Nowadays I am often overwhelmed by just being aware of what is really happening…simply amazing!
ok, got a little carried away. I hope this helps or inspires someone though at this point, there has been so much wonderful sharing in this thread that even if it isn’t it would be ok.
I believe it is called the ‘Gift of Tears’ which i learnt through the Catholic Charismatic Renewal. My mum was a part of it and learnt many wonderful teachings. It opened me up to Jesus and to Mary. I feel good when it happens. 
Embrace it. Jesus loves you! 
