I Never Heard That Preached...episode 1: What Do We Do With Our Emotions?
There are some topics, scriptures, subjects that I just don't hear from the pulpit but I wished I had...
Hey Fellow Faith Traveller,
I am starting a new series here on SoulFeast Letters - topics, scriptures and subjects that you hardly ever hear preached from the pulpit. It is going to be interesting and you may feel stretched reading some of the topics coming up but it is good to address these issues rather than put our head in the sand and be ignorant or worst judgemental of something that we don’t know enough about.
It is a good thing to be curious and investigate how other Christians in other traditions think about God, Scriptures, Jesus and society.
First stop on our discover journey…I never heard preached that…… it’s okay to show emotions
Photo by Jacqueline Munguía on Unsplas
Photo by Jacqueline Munguía on Unsplash
There are many of us who have grown up in churches where positive thinking theology is culturally strong.
Where certain scripture verses are plucked out of context and slanted towards a Pollyanna type message. Don’t be sad, just have faith!
Where life with God is all rosy and if you are having troubles then you mustn’t have enough faith.
Or your troubles are brushed under the carpet and you are told to pray then slap a smile on and move on.
I remember sermons where we were told not to trust our emotions as they usually lead us to wrongdoing!
Here’s a verse that is used to back up this wrong theology -
“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?”
Jeremiah 17:9 ESV
This verse doesn’t mean that we can’t trust our emotions or thoughts!
It doesn’t mean emotions that come from the heart (doesn’t all emotions come from the heart?) are sinful and should be discounted or rejected.
It doesn’t mean every single feeling we have is lying to us.
Scripture needs to be read in context. In this passage the prophet Jeremiah was writing a poem about the state of Judah - about the social injustices and the high places. Deceit and trickery were everywhere. He was talking about people who have chosen wicked paths and exploiting people.
Here is a better translation of the same verse:
9 The most cunning heart—
it’s beyond help.
Who can figure it out?
10 I, the Lord, probe the heart
and discern hidden motives,
to give everyone what they deserve,
the consequences of their deeds.Common English Bible
This is a heart that doesn’t want to commune with Papa God. But Jeremiah says in the next verse that even though we can’t discern their motives - God can. This is good news!
It’s not talking about the average Jesus Follower who is communing with God and is feeling grief or sadness or anger or out of sorts.
God created feelings to be felt!
Here’s a perfect example that I never heard preached ——
Jesus heard the sad news of the passing of a close friend, Lazarus. He arrives at the home of Lazarus and his two sisters and is greeted with a truck load of emotions. Mary is seriously grieving and falls at Jesus feet crying. In our culture this public display of grief is too much. We just don’t do that.
Well, maybe we should!
What does Jesus do?
Does he say — “buck up buttercup. Lazarus is in a better place. You will see him in glory. This too shall pass. Don’t trust your feelings of grief - they are lying to you. God works together for good to those who love him.”?
No!
What does Jesus do?
He allows himself to feel his own emotions. He cries.
Photo by Milada Vigerova on Unsplash
He not only cries for his own grief but he cries with Mary and shares in her grief.
In the KJV it says -
“When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled”
He groaned in the spirit and was troubled.
This word “troubled” means to be agitated, to cause one inward commotion, take away his calmness of mind, to be stirred up and to be anxious or distressed.
Oh, isn’t it so comforting to know that Jesus felt distressed and anxious and grief!
Isn’t it good to know that Jesus expressed his feelings.
Isn’t it enlightening to know that Jesus can be involved in our emotions, in our grief and loss and pain.
So good!
Read the story in John 11 for yourself.
So go ahead and have a big cry. If you are sad, tell God - He can handle it. In fact he will meet you where you are and embrace you in your sadness. Sometimes when I wake up, I don’t feel settled, like something is off and just need to feel loved. So I ask God if he can give me a hug that day. It is so interesting, if I keep my eyes open for the hug, what appears in my day. From a solution popping into my mind to a current problem to a really loud singing Tui bird in our front tree to seeing my favourite bluey-purple colour everywhere. God is for us!
Tui Bird - one of my favourite birds! Photo by Callum Hill on Unsplash
What I am currently reading…
I am enjoying Shauna Niequist’s book “I Guess I Haven’t Learned That Yet” immensely. Savouring a chapter each night before I turn out my light.
It travels through her move from Midwest USA to Manhattan and how she had to relearn new ways of living. She talks about dealing with grief, practicing courage, midlife and chronic pain.
Here’s 2 quotes I have noted down just the other night:
“At my best, that’s who I am, a moment maker, a noticer, a person who celebrates the tiny goodness of our lives”
“I believe in seeking out beauty absolutely every chance we get, as an act of prayer, as an act of worship, as an act of resistance.”
What I am currently listening to…
The Bible Project podcast is so good!
I am currently listening to their current series on Cities. It is super interesting on how Scripture talks about cities being dens of darkness and sin and how God is redeeming this with the heavenly city.
Join in the conversation —what pricked your curiosity today? What are you currently reading or listening to that is inspiring your life?
What have you never heard from the pulpit but wished you had? Did your church supress emotions?