EmotionsSample

Jesus Has Empathy for Our Emotions Our faith and our feelings aren’t separate. They are interconnected, influencing each other as we pursue Jesus. If we don’t acknowledge our feelings, we’re missing out on seeing God’s character as our Comforter, Redeemer, Healer, and Advocate. If we rely too much on our feelings, we’re at risk of making poor decisions. So, how do we reconcile that tension? We invite God and others into our feelings. We don’t shove them away, but we ask God what He’s trying to say through our emotions, knowing that Jesus cares about our pain, no matter how big or small it may seem. Jesus was incredible at showing empathy to others, and He showed so many feelings during His time on earth. When Jesus is on His way to be crucified, He shows deep compassion for His mother, Mary. He sees her weeping and mourning next to His disciple, John, so He looks at her and says that John will be a son to her. Jesus knew that His mother would need to nurture and be nurtured, and so He took care of her as one of His final acts on earth. Her tears were not insignificant. They were deeply important—so much so that Jesus spent His last moments on earth tending to them. Jesus cares that deeply for our pain, too. We see that in another story where Jesus heals a woman who had been bleeding for years. Doctors couldn’t cure her, and she had spent all of her money without hope of being healed. She desperately touches Jesus’ robe, knowing that one touch from Him could cure her. Jesus stops what He’s doing to find her and encourage her faith. He allows the pain of one woman to pause the work He was doing for a crowd. He cares deeply for the things that we care about. The woman may have felt desperate and broken. But her faith prompted her to get near to Jesus, knowing that He alone could fix her. So, when we experience painful emotions or joyful emotions, we go running back to the Father—the only One who can heal every hurt. Our emotions don’t define our faith and they don’t dictate our future. But when we’re healthy, our emotions draw us close to our Creator, allowing Him to strengthen us, draw near to us, and carry us. Pray: God, thank You for seeing every emotion I have and showing me empathy in it all. I’ve been carrying a lot of ____, but I know that You see it, You care about it, and You’re with me in it. Show me what You’re teaching me through this season in my emotions, God. Help me come to You with all of my feelings so that my faith may be strengthened, and help me make the right choices despite what I may feel. In Jesus’ name, amen.