Faithful Paradox

Welcome to the third and last post of faith over feelings. Today, I hope you are encouraged as you consider these three topics.

First, encourage someone who feels things deeply to wrestle.

Often, in Christian circles, the idea of wrestling has a negative connotation. It seems to imply doubt or unbelief. For people who feel things deeply, an invitation to wrestle is really important. I often point to the passage in Genesis 32. It’s important to help those with deep feelings understand that it is not actually the absence of God that causes us to wrestle, but it’s his presence. Jacob did not wrestle with God because God was absent. No, he wrestled with God because God was very present. God voluntarily weakened himself and engaged in a wrestling match with Jacob. It was his presence with Jacob that brought about the wrestling – and it’s the same for us. It’s the same for the person who feels things deeply. Remind them that their wrestling with God is evidence of God’s nearness – not that he’s far away. I wrote a longer post on wrestling with God that you can read here.

Acknowledge that God‘s promises are for our souls, and not necessarily for our bodies.

Of any of the points, this is the one that has helped me most as I have wrestled, felt things deeply, questioned and struggled. Through all the times I’ve felt confused about how Scripture could be true – when I’ve felt abandoned by God, when I’ve questioned him, when I’ve felt things deeply and felt confused about who God is, grabbing on to the understanding that God’s promises are true for my soul and not necessarily for my mind and body has been the balm my heart has needed to endure. 

When anxiety was at its worse and I was pleading with God to bring relief, reminding myself that God did not abandon my soul. Reminding myself that even though I long for peace right now, what’s even greater is that my soul has eternal peace with God and that will not change.

God’s promises are true – even when they don’t feel true to our experiences or realities. They have never been promised for our bodies and minds and when we experience God’s promises for our bodies and minds, these are undeserved mercies. Pointing those who feel things deeply to train their mind to understand that the promises of God hold true for their souls can help bring comfort in the midst of feeling deep pain or confusion

Finally, always point the aching heart to eternity

Finally, reminding those who feel things deeply that this earth is not all there is. This pain they feel so deeply, this confusion they feel, the questions they have, the doubts they have, the things that are simply not right in this world – that is all true and will remain true – but it won’t always be this way. Giving the reminder of eternity.

In Psalm 30:5, David tells us that “weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.” In some cases, weeping is short lived – but in many cases, weeping remains for a long season. But joy will come. Joy may come here on earth, or it may be in eternity. Their feelings may cause them to despair and question God, but it will not always be this hard. Point them to the future hope we all have because of Christ.