I'm Fine预览

The past two days, we looked at people in the Old Testament who cried out to the Lord in times of heartache and sadness. We also read about the Man of Sorrow, Jesus and how He experienced grief and sadness just like we do. David, Job, and Elijah all experienced extreme loss and heartache. God is sovereign over all things - the good and the bad that happen to us. God allowed the heartache that occurred in their lives. David, Job, and Elijah could have allowed these feelings to take control of their lives and turn from the Lord yet we see them present their feelings to the Lord instead. They were angry with God that these horrible things happened and instead of allowing their anger to create distance in their relationship with God, they knelt before Him in prayer, expressing their anger and sorrow to Him, and He led them to restoration in rescue.

In the same way, we see Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane hours before his gruesome death on the cross crying out to God the Father and expressing his emotions to Him. Ultimately, Jesus surrendered how he felt to God and declared God's will be done. This led him to the cross where Jesus experienced the fullness of God's wrath for sin. Jesus took the full wrath of God and died the death we deserved so that we wouldn't have to.

The next time you are frustrated or sad about the circumstances in your life will you follow the example of David, Job, Elisha, and Jesus? Will you kneel before the Lord in prayer and surrender your bitterness and depression to Him? Or will you allow your feelings to direct your life instead of directing your feelings toward the Father? Yes, the emotions we feel are given by God. They are meant to draw us to him. We must choose what to do with the feelings we have. Will we bring them to the Lord no matter how grave, heavy, or long we’ve been feeling them? God is strong enough to carry your anxiety, your depression, and your grief. He is a refuge in times of sadness and heartache. Remember that He is a healer and comforter. Jesus was fully human and fully God. He knows how you feel, therefore He can understand your emotions on a personal/human level. You don’t have to allow your emotions to control your life when you surrender them to the Lord.

The rest of this week, we will be reminded that we are not alone, that we have a hope and comforter that we can turn to in dark seasons. Let these passages be written on your heart so that when you feel hopeless in how you’re feeling, you can be reminded that there is a light in the darkness. That light is Jesus and darkness cannot exist wherever He is. Invite Him in all areas of your life today to reign over your emotions so they do not reign over you.

Question to consider: In what ways have you seen God be a comforter, healer, protector, or fighter of the battles in your own life?