StuckSample

While we’re told that Jesus was both fully God and fully man, it’s easy to focus on the former and forget about the latter. We see Jesus as the reflection of the divine Father who sent Him to us. All-powerful, compassionate, a miracle worker, the light of the world, the authority over all of it—that’s who Jesus is to us. But if we know Jesus came to this world as a human, too, then that means we can’t forget His human qualities as well. One of those? His ability to weep, grieve, and feel deep sadness.

Here, Scripture tells us simply that, in the face of loss and heartbreak, Jesus did what we all do: He wept. He didn’t push through, or ignore the pain, or try to get over it. No, He felt it, so much so that He wept as He did. It’s what He needed to move forward and not stay stuck in His own grief. And it’s what we can do, too! One of the best ways to start moving forward from feelings that try to keep us stuck is to give ourselves space to acknowledge and feel them. To let ourselves deal with them appropriately. To be real about what we feel, both with ourselves and with God. When we do that, we’re taking a first step in walking forward without the weight of them on our backs. We’re taking a page from Jesus’ book and walking in the way of both the human and the divine.

What could it look like for you to start processing and experiencing your feelings in a healthy way? A way that spurs you forward rather than keeping you stuck? Talk to a friend about that and encourage each other in it this week.