Why do I focus so much on emotions? Why don’t I just preach Jesus? I am a follower of Jesus. I love Jesus. But why do I talk so much about emotions?
Think about these questions.
- How well do you worship if you’re in emotional pain?
- What is your spiritual message if you worry all day?
- What is your spiritual testimony if you hate yourself?
- How well do you embrace the freedom that Jesus offers if you’re in emotionally bondage?
- How does an addiction impact your spiritual walk?
- What if you struggle with abandonment issues. How healthy are your connections?
- What happens if you have an anger problem and small things set you off? How does anger impact your testimony?
- What happens if fear owns you?
- Or you panic at the thought of being alone. And you find yourself alone way to often.
- What if you’re an escape expert and love escaping. How well do you stay present to Jesus?
- What if you’ve never felt the love of the Heavenly Father or Jesus?
- How is your spiritual rest if you habitually beat yourself up with guilt?
- Is healing, and I mean transformational-emotional-spiritual healing a part of your testimony?
- Do you have a battle inside yourself?
- What if you have never been loved well?
- If you hate, who you are and your past, how well do you handle the present?
- Do you need to escape because living in the present with old baggage is too painful?
Conclusion
You can try to ignore your emotional pain and just be spiritual. Most of the time that won’t work. Or you can invite Jesus to walk with you through your emotional pain and stories.
Prayer
Abba Father, I want deep, abiding peace, rest and joy in my soul. Can you please help? Amen.
Bible Connection
Jesus came to set you free. He promises, peace, rest, and joy.
He sent the Holy Spirit to be your comforter, advocate, counselor, and teacher. He is preparing a place for you. He loves you so much.
John 8:36, John 14:27, Matthew 11:28-30, John 14:26, John 14:3
Comments
One response to “Why not just preach Jesus?”
Being spiritual has never worked for me in fighting addiction, or being a better husband, or a better father. Because I never really understood God’s love for me. I didn’t understand forgiveness, love, empathy… it’s awfully hard to connect to anything or anyone, let alone God, if you don’t understand the most basic principles of who or what they are. And God is love.
And if I don’t understand love, and if that lack of understanding is preventing me from knowing God, and I am trying to be the spiritual leader I am called to be in my home, with my family, and with others, but I cannot actually connect myself to the God I claim to worship, how on earth can I possibly lead others? It’s the blind leading the blind.
This is why my wife has expressed that she wants a divorce. I was trying to love her and love our sons, but I did not understand love or forgiveness, and I walked around feeling such intense shame and anger towards myself that that is all I was capable of showing others. Our actions can only mirror what is inside us.
Now, I understand, and am learning more constantly. And I hope and pray she can see that, too.