Conquering negative emotions can be a challenge especially when you go through difficult moments in life. In Phil. 3:18-19 explains that negative emotions can destroy our faith life. So I often, try to find ways to encourage myself when I'm down emotionally. I'm usually a very optimistic person, full of faith, and very attune to hearing the Lord on so many levels as I pray. But, lately due to the grief and loss of my dearest family members I find my self second guessing, feeling depressed, feeling a little out of touch and fighting to distinguish God's voice in the midst of dark emotional states. I've never had to deal with this before.
What's even more difficult is to do my regular pastoral duties and visit with families only to learn that many of them are struggling with the same things or worse. As a result, I wonder if the Body Of Christ is under spiritual attack. The other day I went to visit with a family in our church and learned of some extreme things they've been going through. What was strange as I left their house was I left their house encouraged and realized my problems seemed small in comparison to theirs. During my visit I found that as I encouraged them I found myself encouraging myself right out of a really bad emotional state that morning. It's all too weird for me these days. But God calls us all out of our negative places!
I Samuel 30:6 says, "David encouraged himself in the Lord." In this passage, David and all his men found their families had been kidnapped and all their stuff taken away. All of his men were bitter about the situation. As a result, David found himself in a place of discouragement. When you let negative emotions get the best of you - you have to make a decision to get better or be bitter. David made a decision. But, how did he get into a positive place of faith again? First he called his priest! Wow, what a thought. He then asked Abiathar to bring him a priestly garment. Why? Because David understood the most important step to get out of self-pity, loathing, and negativity was to get before the Lord and seek direction directly from him. God answers prayer.
When I was in my mid-twenties, my grandmother asked me if I stilled prayed for my father to come to Christ (My father was an atheist). I said, "No." I had lost all faith for him and was discouraged about it so I ceased to pray about it. I loved self-pity... it's a great negative emotion! If you're going to have one. She rebuked me, "Michael, you should never stop praying for him!" "God answers prayer." "I'm not going to die until he comes to the Lord." Wow. He did and she lived till she was 92. God answered her prayers and mine too. He doesn't forget the ones you prayed in the past. Lol.
When David prayed he asked the Lord three things: (1) Shall I pursue the raiding party? (2) Will I catch them? and (3) finally, he asks "Will I be able to overtake them?" These are the three things we need to consider when faced with negative emotions. When injustice is done, you have the choice to go after justice or let it go. It takes a great deal of discernment especially when in Micah 6:8 it asks "What does the Lord require of us?" First thing out the gate - "to do justice." What does justice look like in your situation? Secondly, when faced with an injustice, in our day and age it could lead to court... and then you have to prove your case. Here's right where I live right now. I am involved in a court case. My lawyer threatened to quit our court case because he doesn't think we have enough money to finish. I can't get mad at him since I recognize He doesn't have enough time and resources because of his own case management load... and our case is big. So he gets discouraged and wants to quit. Our side can win this. We have the evidence. We have the witnesses but can we really catch them? Is it really worth going through all the hassle only to lose a case because the other side can outsmart you. So David asked can we catch up to them? Justice too often seems far away. Proverbs 29:6 states, "In the transgression of an evil man there is a snare, and the just shall praise and rejoice." Eventually, when you pursue justice, you end up in a place of gratitude and thankfulness. David's final question to the Lord had to do with strength. Do I have enough emotional strength to overcome this? I love this place. It's a great place to get to. Nothing but weakness. II Cor. 12:9 says, "Christ strength is made PERFECT in our weakness." Go figure.
When I am weak he is strong. How so... well the battle we all face are not ours. It belongs to the Lord. Without a battle we would not have a testimony. But, when you're in that battle and sorely tested you don't think you can make it through and it doesn't seem God is listening or even cares. Recently, someone reminded me that when I was a kid and had a test in school... the teacher was present but was silent behind the desk until the test was over. When we turned our test papers in... our real question was one of seeking approval. How'd I do.
Well, many times I believe God is present - especially in our weakness; sitting in his chair waiting for us to finish what we need to do or waiting for us to get over ourselves. Tests are nothing more than checking our progress. So what does God say to David? Go for it! You can overcome this. You can recover from anything that tries to steal you future. The Apostle Paul said it this way, (2 Cor. 11:25) "Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, a night and a day I have spent in the deep. 26I have been on frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my countrymen, dangers from the Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers on the sea, dangers among false brethren; 27I have been in labor and hardship, through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. 28Apart from such external things, there is the daily pressure on me of concern for all the churches. 29Who is weak without my being weak? Who is led into sin without my intense concern? 30If I have to boast, I will boast of what pertains to my weakness. 31The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, He who is blessed forever, knows that I am not lying. 32In Damascus the ethnarch under Aretas the king was guarding the city of the Damascenes in order to seize me, 33and I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall, and so escaped his hands." Even death itself, Paul considered a victory. One day, during my mom's final weeks she got up in bed and said, Mike, I don't want to die!" I said, "Mom, why would you want to stay. You've been complaining my whole life how you missed your mother. Why stick around here when you can go be with her?" I understand her loss because I lost her. But the promise I have is that I will be with her again one day in heaven too!
So if your feeling weak emotionally, want to lay down in a box of kitty litter and throw it all over yourself, why not turn choose to begin the turn around? Shake off those negative emotions that destroys you faith life. Get in the presence of God and ask him how David's three questions apply to your situation and see what he will answer. I'm just glad to know, Christ's strength is made perfect in my weakness - and boy He must be strong in me right now! Thank you Jesus for helping all of us get through tough times. As Robert Schuller Sr. said, "Tough times never last, tough minded people do! Remember I'm praying for you too...
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