40 Days to Awaken Your Sober MindSample

Emotions you once escaped now rise to the surface…frustration, loneliness, sadness. At first, they can feel like enemies. But Sis, what if they’re actually gifts?

When you stop numbing, you start noticing. What used to feel overwhelming can become invitational. Your emotions aren’t there to torment you; they’re there to teach you. To guide you. To call you home. The analogy of our emotions being like a warning light on a car dashboard just feels right. Sometimes we just need to pull over to a rest stop, pop the hood, and see what needs our attention. Our feelings are messengers letting us know when a boundary has been crossed or when we need to slow down.

Romans tells us that suffering leads to hope. I know that might sound crazy, but if you reflect on your own experiences, when have you felt the most gratitude? For me, it’s usually after weathering a storm of life or facing my fears. We can only come out stronger on the other side when we travel through it with the Lord. The slogan “feel the feels” takes on a whole new meaning when God’s word provides us the truth to discern what we need to lean into and let go of.

1 Peter reminds us that trials refine our faith. What if the ache in your chest is actually space for God to move? God doesn’t take pleasure in our pain, but He does meet us in the midst of it. He cares more about our character than our comfort.

Feel it. Don’t flee it. Healing lives on the other side of honesty.

Prayer:
Jesus, help me welcome discomfort as a teacher. Let me stay awake to what You're doing, even when it’s not easy.

Journal Prompt:
What difficult emotions have you been avoiding? What might they be trying to tell you?