My heart is turned within Me, My compassions arise simultaneously (Hosea 11:8)
The car sticker on the blue van caught my attention: VOTING TO FEEL.
While pondering those words, I noticed a billboard I passed. They coaxed me into choosing things that would keep me from feeling, namely, alcohol to numb emotional pain; fat-laden foods to ease the agony of loneliness; nice cars and other expensive things to reduce feelings of worthlessness.
Many temptations keep us away from God with the promise of easing the emotional hurt we feel as a result of sin, whether it's our own or someone else's.
Allah gives a different example. Instead of being immune to the suffering caused by our sin, He chose to suffer as a result of that sin. Through the prophet Hosea, God revealed his heartache over the loss of a rebellious child. "I bowed down to them to feed them," He said softly. "I drew them with cords of fidelity, with bonds of love" (11:3,4). They still reject their heavenly Father. With a heavy heart, He let them face the consequences.
When we choose to feel the full range of feelings, we will come to a more perfect understanding of God creating us in His image, that is, the image of the One who shares.
It's okay to feel that everything in the world isn't right. God feels it too! —Julie Link
CHOOSE TO TURN BAD FEELINGS TURN OFF THE
ABILITY TO FEEL GOOD
ABILITY TO FEEL GOOD
*) Take from Daily Reflections