Keep Your Emotions
Tim Lamb
My car broke down yesterday, among other
struggles; in fact, I’ve been
feeling like someone sabotaged my life and
everything is coming
undone…well, sometimes. A friend, in her best
“patience-of-Job”
demeanor, reminded me we should still be thankful.
I said, “Right, I should be thankful that I have a
car to break down.
That’s like being thankful that you are alive to
get sick…isn’t it?”
Not everything God gives us is pleasant. Not
everything we must
endure is a gift. We don’t have to like
everything that happens; but
still we should thank God that He will use it for
His glory and for
our betterment.
However, we are entitled to our emotions. When I
was a teen my father
cut my hair. When I decided I wanted to wear my
hair longer it hurt
my father that I no longer appreciated his
haircuts. I was willing to
be obedient to his wishes but I couldn’t hide the
fact it wasn’t what
I wanted.
Abraham questioned God but was counted as
righteous for his obedience,
so was Job. The fact that I occasionally turn to
God and say “I would
do this differently if I were You, God” does not
anger Him. But I bet
He knows if I were Him I’d do it the same because
it would be right.
It’s ok that I can’t see that now.
1 Corinthians 13:12
“For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face
to face; now I know
in part, but then I will know fully just as I also
have been fully known.”
God made us in His image, He understands our
emotions and confusion.
He understand our struggle with pain and loss. He
understands what
makes us happy and sad. Jesus felt all those
emotions…ALL of them.
He was hurt by the doubt of the apostles and He
wept with Mary and
Martha over the pain of the death. He got angry
at injustice and
tired of ignorant bickering.
Jesus said we would suffer; be hated, rejected,
and persecuted; and
betrayed even by family. These that we suffer
because of him, though
they are painful, they will bring reward. But
besides these there are
pains and losses; frustrations and struggles, that
reap nothing but to
test our resolve and our focus.
What He did try to teach us is that our Joy is not
dependant on the
presence or lack of the difficulties of life. Our
Joy can be
disconnected from the day to day struggle because
it exists in the
eternal. We must not drag those small afflictions
into our eternal
purpose and focus.
I hate that my car broke down but God will meet my
needs. I hate that
I don’t have the money to go visit family and
friends, but God will
provide. I hate that death exists and that it
separates people who
love each other, but God hates that too and has
provided the answer in
His grace which gives eternal life.
I want…want…I want…and if I got all that I’d want
more. God wants
that all would be saved and come to obedience but
He doesn’t get
everything that He wants either. God loves the
World but only a few
love Him…God knows sadness. God goes looking for
the lost sheep and
rejoices when He finds it…God knows joy.
God’s children rebel against Him…He knows the
broken-hearted parent.
God keeps His promises while we break ours…God
knows disappointment.
Hebrews 4:14 “Therefore, since we have a great
high priest who has
passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God,
let us hold fast our
confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest
who cannot sympathize
with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted
in all things as we
are, yet without sin.16 Therefore let us draw near
with confidence to
the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy
and find grace to
help in time of need.”
Whether we lost a house or a spouse or all our
wealth, or our car
broke down, God knows our suffering and is
merciful to meet our needs
and full of grace to give us more than we deserve.
We don’t have to
like it but we have to love and trust Him through
it.
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