Faith & Emotions (Part 3)

The Bible does command us to have some emotional responses. The Bible tells us to delight in the Lord. The Bible tells us to rejoice and to give thanks. The Bible commands us to love others, which involves action and emotion. My friend, Greg, spoke last Sunday about the Good Samaritan. He pointed out that the two religious people passed by having convinced themselves through some kind of reasoning not to get involved. However, the Samaritan “had pity on him.” That is an emotional phrase not just logical reasoning. Jesus often had compassion on the crowd.

Let’s look at some other emotions the Bible commands us to feel. We are to hate evil. Something we are not very good at doing rationally or emotionally. We are to hope for an eternal future. These are not just rational words but words that involve an emotional response.

I do not want to put down anyone who has taught that the Bible doesn’t command us to feel any certain way because as I said I was one of them. There is some truth to that idea because the Bible doesn’t tell us how to feel without telling us what truth to believe. God gives us the context in which to feel these emotions.

For those who are in Christ:

• God tells us to feel hope because our eternal destiny is assured.
• God tells us to take joy in trials because he knows the spiritual growth that will result. (Don’t think rational joy like I guess some good will come out of this, think real joy, emotional joy that puts this teaching on a whole new level.)
• God tells us to love because he first loved us and he will love others through us.
• God tells us to hate evil because it is out to destroy and devour us.
• God tells us to be thankful because our sins have been forgiven and we have been blessed beyond measure.
• God tells us to feel confident in Him because he will supply all our needs.
• God tells us not to worry because he is for us and it doesn’t matter who is against us.

Sometimes I lack faith and don’t believe what God says and then my emotions are out of whack. In that case I shouldn’t ignore my emotions I should ask, “Why am I feeling this way?” I need to listen to my emotions to find the lie I am believing.

I once counseled a woman who at 64 years of age had not forgiven herself for having an abortion more than 40 years earlier. In the years following she had 12 children as a kind of penance. As a Christian she knew about 1 John 1:9 but emotionally she could not accept the forgiveness of sin for herself. She was not only listening to her emotions but also letting them control the truth she believed. God’s Word is true regardless of what we believe or how we feel. The truth of God’s Word needs to set us free and that includes our emotions.

There is a difference between being controlled by our emotions and listening to our emotions. If we listen to our emotions can teach us many things about our faith and about our walk with God.

Faith & Emotons (Part 2)

The two commandments above all the rest are to love God and to love others. The commandments are stated in Luke 10:27, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind; and, Love your neighbor as yourself." Both commandments involve an emotional response.

I have taught that love is not an emotion but an action. Recently I have come to realize I was wrong. Loving God is more than an action. Loving God is more than keeping a list of rules. Jumping through a series of hoops or checking off a list of do’s and don’ts is not loving God the way he wants to be loved. As Christians we love to boast that Christianity is not a religion but a relationship. That is a true statement but the Lord has shown me that this is more rhetoric than reality.

Many of us have loved God with our mind. We accept the fact that he sent Jesus to die in our place. We believe that He is Holy and we are not but do we really love God with all our heart and with all our soul? Those words seem to depict something more than logic or reason.

The church at Ephesus was chastised for leaving their first love. We could learn from their mistake. I believe even more representative of today’s church was the church at Laodicea because they were lukewarm. People going through the motions but lacking the passion and power to affect the world around them.

What does it mean to love God then? There is no question obedience is a part of loving God, “If you love me keep my commandments.” However, duty and obligation will not bring about the deep connection that God desires. Dutiful love robs the church of its power and influence. The world sees right through this façade.

Loving God is like loving anyone else. We must get up close and personal. We must spend time together. David was a great example of a guy who wasn’t afraid to show his emotions. He was also one who loved God passionately. As you read the words of David take notice of his emotional involvement.

Ps. 77:1-3, “I cried out to God for help; I cried out to God to hear me. When I was in distress, I sought the Lord; at night I stretched out untiring hands and my soul refused to be comforted. I remembered you, O God, and I groaned; I mused, and my spirit grew faint.

Ps. 27:4 (MSG), “I'm asking God for one thing, only one thing: To live with him in his house my whole life long. I'll contemplate his beauty; I'll study at his feet.”

Also in the Psalms you will read about a real passion for God.

Ps. 42:1-2, “As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?”

Ps. 84:2, “My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the LORD; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.”

In the NT, Mary is another example of emotional involvement. Mary choose the better thing – not to be up serving Jesus but to sit down and enjoy Jesus. Martha came from a place of duty and her premiere emotion ended up being jealousy. Mary was in a place where her motivation was an emotional love.

Faith & Emotions (Part 1)

You seldom hear talk of emotions in church, but the Bible has much to say on the topic.

First of all, God is an emotional God; and we are made in his image. God shows love beyond measure. God is love. God can be jealous, or angry. God has great compassion and mercy. God has designed emotions to be intertwined with reason and logic. I believe it can be a difficult task to find a healthy balance. I am sharing this topic with you not because I have mastered it but because I have a lot to learn and the Lord has been changing me in this area.

Many of us have been taught that emotions should play no part in our faith and I have been a disciple of that belief. I have taught for example that God does not command us to feel any particular emotion. Untrue! I have believed that our emotions are dangerous and should be downplayed. As a counselor for many years I have seen people controlled by their emotions throwing logic out the window. I have also seen people, let’s face it men, who seemed cold and uncaring and had no idea how to affectionately love their wives. I have gone along with the theory that our reason should be the engine and our actions should come next and our emotions should be the caboose. I have come to believe that the outcome of this teaching has left Christians: cold, indifferent and emotionally numb.

So many people are walking around as zombies – emotionally dead. For example, we don’t know how to celebrate as Christians in a healthy manner. I am having my first grandchild in a few weeks. I’m guessing that I will not only have a rational response but an emotional one as well. But how do I celebrate? Do I buy cigars for everyone? Who came up with that idea anyway? The only thing I know to do to celebrate is to take 30 pictures of the baby and bring them to my men’s Bible study to show them around. I’m not so sure that is the best idea either.

In a few months my only son is getting married. As a participant in the wedding ceremony should I be emotional, showing the joy I feel? Or should I be stoic and serious because we are in church and a wedding is serious business? Traditionally celebration is not acceptable in church. That alone speaks volumes. You have to wait until the reception to celebrate, which by the way is not at the church. Plus there is no open bar at the reception so how does one celebrate while stone sober? I can’t dance at least not without a drink or two. Who am I kidding? After a couple of drinks I only think I can dance. How does my faith work itself out while engaging my emotions?