Psalm 16:5-6

The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup; you hold my lot.

The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;

indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.

~ Psalm 16:5-6

Let Me Feel What You Feel, Lord

Emotions can be like a roller coaster. Sometimes we're happy, sometimes we're sad, sometimes we're worried, sometimes we're excited, and sometimes we're just "blah". While some of us are more emotional than others, we all have feelings.

I'm the kind of person who tends to deeply feel my emotions as well the emotions of others. As I thought about my tendancy to ride the roller coasters of my own and other people's emotions, I started to wonder, "Do I also feel what God feels?"

It's good to be aware of our own emotions and understand why we feel the way we do. It is also a good thing to be in tune to the emotions of others because it helps us to be sensitive to their needs. At the same time, how often are our feelings swayed by God instead of the feelings of others? How often are we caught up with how God feels about something rather than letting our own feelings lead us?

Our God is a God with vast, strong emotions. He feels love (John 11:36), He feels anger (Deuteronomy 4:21), He feels joy (Zephaniah 3:17), He feels jealousy (Exodus 34:14), He feels sorrow (Isaiah 53:3), He feels peace (Romans 15:33), and so much more! God's emotions are absolutely perfect in every way.

If we focus on His feelings, we are able to feel deeply ourselves and for others in healthy ways. As I've prayed that God would allow me to be in tune to how He feels more than I'm in tune to the emotions of other people or myself, I have realized that there I have many opportunities to put this into practice.

When I see a friend in a deep conversation with someone else and I want to talk with her, I can easily feel jealous or selfish. But instead of letting my emotions dictate how I feel, I can think about how God feels. My friend is investing in the life of another person and this is pleasing to God. Like Him, I want to feel pleased instead of jealous or selfish.

When things don't happen the way we want them to, feelings of frustration often arise. It is easy to become impatient, as some friends of mine did when we were stuck behind a train on the way to a concert. Instead of letting their frustration frustrate me, I decided to be thankful. I knew God would be pleased by us having more time to cultivate our relationships with each other, so I felt His joy, and sought to share it with my friends.

When I'm stressed because school deadlines are pressing (but not this week, since I'm on Spring Break! YAY!), I can quickly give in to those anxious feelings that knot up my stomach. But I don't have to, and instead I can think about how God takes pleasure in my hard work and in me surrending my time to Him, so I can feel pleasure in His grace.

When I'm making a decision, I don't have to base it on how I feel about the situation or how other people feel about the decision, but rather on how God feels. I can discern His feelings about my decision by the truth of His Word, seeking Him in prayer, and listening to the wisdom of people who will share the truth with me - not just their feelings.

When someone is excited about something, I can rejoice in their joy, as God rejoices with them and when a someone is sad about something, I can sorrow with them, as God sorrows with them. If my emotions are in tune to God's emotions, I can care for others with the care of Jesus Christ. The care of Christina can only go so far without running out, but God's care and concern will never run out.

What opportunities in your life do you have to focus on the emotions of God more than you focus on the emotions of other people or the emotions of your own heart? His feelings are perfect, because all His ways are perfect.

"This God—his way is perfect; the word of the Lord proves true;

he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him. For who is God, but the Lord?

And who is a rock, except our God?— the God who equipped me with strength

and made my way blameless. He made my feet like the feet of a deer

and set me secure on the heights."

~ Psalm 18:30-33

When our feelings are based on His feelings, which are an overflow of His character, we have a rock solid foundation from which to feel our own emotions and to be sensitive to the feelings of others. 

Lord, help us to be like you. Give us your peace. Show us how to love with your love. Grant us your graciousness. Let us help those who are hurting with your help. Put your song into your hearts. Teach us to be angry at what angers you. Fill our lives with your joy. Guide us to feel what you feel. In Jesus name, Amen. 

Seeking to feel what He feels,
Christina

Soli Deo Gloria ~ To God Alone Be the Glory!

1 John 4:19

"We love because he first loved us."

~ 1 John 4:19

Psalm 40:16

But may all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you;

may those who love your salvation say continually, “Great is the Lord!”

~ Psalm 40:16

Photo Credit: D.Book

He Thinks of Me

Standing on the choir risers, I tossed back my curls and opened my choir book, looking out over the sanctuary. As the music started, I took a breath and began to sing. We sang a medley that I was familiar with, so I was able to sing my heart out, praising the Lord to the words of "Above All" and the hymn "My Savior's Love". When we reached the end of the arrangement, we sang the words, "You took the fall, and thought of me, above all." Instantly, I remembered something I had read in my devotions the day before.

I had been reading Psalm 40 and when I reached the end, I came to this incredible verse: As for me, I am poor and needy, but the Lord takes thought for me. You are my help and my deliverer; do not delay, O my God! (Psalm 40:11). When I read that yesterday, I was amazed. God thinks of me!

Isn't it incredible that we are on God's mind? As I realize what an amazing gift it is to be thought of by God, I am especially in awe that He thinks of someone like me, who is poor and needy, like the verse says. I am poor. He's rich. I am weak. He's strong. I am needy. He has everything. I am empty. He is full.

Despite my littleness, He takes thought for me. This knowledge makes me worship Him more. My awesome God reaches down into my life and cares about little me. I don't deserve His care or His thoughts. But He thinks of me. 

King David felt the same way! In Psalm 8, He wrote, O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! He continued in the following verses to praise God for His mighty works. Then he said, "What is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?" Who are we that the Lord should be mindful of us? Who are we that the God of the universe should think of us?

We are His children (1 John 3:1), so He thinks of us as a good father thinks of his children. We are His bride (Isaiah 54:5), so He thinks of us as a good husband thinks of his bride. We are His sheep (Psalm 100:3), so He thinks of us as a good shepherd thinks of his sheep.

In His love, God takes thought for us. He is mindful of us. That's pretty amazing. We are loved and thought of by our awesome God. He is so good to us. 

Blessings,

Christina

Soli Deo Gloria ~ To God Alone Be the Glory!

Revelation 21:5b

“Behold, I am making all things new.”

Revelation 21:5b

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas, y'all! I hope today is full of love and laughter, food and presents, family and friends, lights and music, and the presence of the Lord. Our lives are so wonderful because of Jesus!

He's the reason we have love in our hearts and can laugh!
He's the reason we have food on the table and gifts to give.
He's the reason we have family and friends to share our lives with.
He's the reason we have lights (to remind us of His light) and music (to praise Him).
He's the reason that God is always with us!

Every good and perfect gift is from Him. "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change." ~ James 1:17

But you know what's even more amazing? The most good and perfect gift was Christ Himself. "In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins." ~ 1 John 4:9-10

Let's delight in this Christmas because of our amazing Lord Jesus Christ! 

Christmas Blessings,

Christina

Soli Deo Gloria ~ To God Alone Be the Glory!