About those “negative” emotions…

EMOTIONS. We judge them, we wear them, we fight them, we try to make them go away! Yet Jesus had a lot of them!

Recently I listened as an adult woman and her mother shared at a cancer support group. The daughter had 4th Stage cancer. Her mother was hurting badly! She shared how her hurt was challenged by a friend, who questioned why she didn’t have much faith. I loved her response and emotions to the comment. She slammed her fist on the table and said, “This is my daughter, she is sick, and I don’t want my daughter sick.”

I had a moment as I thought about her “emotions.” I pictured God the Father looking at Jesus HIS Son on the Cross! “This is My Son, He is suffering, He is dying!” And I felt that pain. 

Nothing is wrong with these emotions and no amount of thanksgiving, devotion, or prayer can take away all pain. In fact, even Jesus felt abandoned by the Father. Before the cross in Gethsemane, “with loud cries and tears” (Hebrews 5:17) He pleaded with His Father to spare Him from the cross. Luke 22:44 says He experienced agony! “And being in agony He was praying very fervently; and His sweat became like drops of blood, falling down upon the ground.” Then while on the cross, Jesus shouted, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken Me?” He wept over Jerusalem and Mary and Martha’s heartache over Lazarus’ death.

So I want to accept HIS love in the midst of pain because HE knows …

Hebrews 4:15 – “For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses.”

… especially when we don’t know ourselves:

Romans 8:26 – “Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.”

He was REAL while on earth, so we can be real with Him.

Speaking of prayer and crying out to God … Join us every day for prayer on our Facebook prayer group – “Stronghold Ministry Healing Prayer” – and every 3rd Tuesday LIVE at 7:00 PM CT! Click here to join.