Just being a churchgoer doesn't guarantee a happy-go-lucky life; there's no such thing as Pollyanna Christianity, where we have no problems and trials or even tribulations--Acts 14:22 says we must enter the kingdom of God through many tribulations. We are not given a bed of roses, but we are not to get a martyr's complex either, thinking that the more we suffer, the holier we are.
It is a good thing to feel bad sometimes: how would you like it if you never felt shame, guilt, embarrassment, sadness, sorrow, or grief? It is good that we feel so bad because it's the warning sign or wakeup call to arouse us from our spiritual slumber. If we never felt guilt, we would never know right and wrong or good and evil--bad feelings are a telltale sign to address and can be therapeutic.
We are human and the good news is that Jesus was human too and was "touched with a feeling of our infirmities." He was "tempted in all manner like we are, yet without sin!" He feels our pain and relates to us in our dilemma. The comfort is of the ministry of the Holy Spirit and its unction or anointing. The comfort God gives us we can share with others in their grief (cf. 2 Cor. 1:7). We may feel downcast or in the pits as believers, for even the psalmist did in Psalm 42-43, and in Psalm 147 he says his depression deepens.
We must experience the whole gamut of emotion to relate to others one-on-one in a personal manner. We may be feeling down, but we are never out of it as far as being out of the state of grace, but we can be out of fellowship and need restoration by virtue of confession. There will be times when we feel out of it, but this is only so we appreciate the ministry of the Spirit all the more, and learn how to help others in their dilemmas. Job wondered where God was when it hurt (cf. Job 23:3). That's what fellowship may be seen as two fellows in the same ship.
One can play church or be into Churchianity and not even be saved, just going through the motions and memorizing the dance of the pious. God forbid that we become callous and blase to the Spirit and not listen to the voice of God speaking to us and our hearts, in that we become hard-of-hearing spiritually speaking. It is important to note that no believer is an island that doesn't need the body to have fellowship with and to grow with--no one's a rock except Christ!
In our infirmity we must learn to not depend on feelings and learn to walk by faith: the divine order is fact; faith; feeling--in that order! We must grow up and stop going by feeling thinking that we must always feel like it to do it, like feel like praying to pray or to witness or read Scripture; our feelings will vary like a weather vane in a whirlwind! Remember, that God withdrew from King Hezekiah to see what was on his heart and we are also subject to a test of our inner, true motives. God is not impassable or without feeling, and is a person with emotion too.
We are in the image of God and are persons too like God (we act, we feel, we will). We must never think that God has given up on us or that our salvation is by our own power or willpower even, but we are "kept by the power of God" (cf. 1 Pet. 1:5) unto salvation. God holds us in His divine hands and won't let go no matter how we feel or what we think. Our faith was a gift in the first place and it won't fail, for the gifts and calling of God are without repentance (cf. Rom. 11:29).
We must all endure trials, tests, temptations, and troubles, noting that our faith must be tested--and that Christ didn't even exempt Himself from trouble, and our so-called crosses pale in comparison to His burden on our behalf. Our burdens are eclipsed by His who paid the penalty we deserved. Note that we are not punished for our sins--rather, it's been said, but we are punished by our sins!
We cannot escape the reality that "adversity, discipline, sufferings, and trials will inevitably come" to us all one way or another--no one's exempt; Christ didn't even exempt Himself! Remember when God seems far away that He will never leave us nor forsake us and will be with us to the very end. If God got you to it; He'll get you through it! When we pass through the waters, He will be with us (cf. Isa. 43:2). We will never be overwhelmed by trouble or burden with God on our side.
We are never alone, for the Spirit abides in us and comforts us in our affliction, and we cannot lose for God is on our side--if God is for us, who can be against us? Note that we are to solace and comfort one another and to share burdens with one another.
And in conclusion, when we are out of it, we can bounce back into fellowship and get back into the race set before us, keeping our eyes on Jesus! No matter what we've done, God won't give up on us, for we are His children whom He loves unconditionally. We are never to lose heart, break faith, nor grow slack in the work of the Lord, but to be ever zealous. Soli Deo Gloria!
It is a good thing to feel bad sometimes: how would you like it if you never felt shame, guilt, embarrassment, sadness, sorrow, or grief? It is good that we feel so bad because it's the warning sign or wakeup call to arouse us from our spiritual slumber. If we never felt guilt, we would never know right and wrong or good and evil--bad feelings are a telltale sign to address and can be therapeutic.
We are human and the good news is that Jesus was human too and was "touched with a feeling of our infirmities." He was "tempted in all manner like we are, yet without sin!" He feels our pain and relates to us in our dilemma. The comfort is of the ministry of the Holy Spirit and its unction or anointing. The comfort God gives us we can share with others in their grief (cf. 2 Cor. 1:7). We may feel downcast or in the pits as believers, for even the psalmist did in Psalm 42-43, and in Psalm 147 he says his depression deepens.
We must experience the whole gamut of emotion to relate to others one-on-one in a personal manner. We may be feeling down, but we are never out of it as far as being out of the state of grace, but we can be out of fellowship and need restoration by virtue of confession. There will be times when we feel out of it, but this is only so we appreciate the ministry of the Spirit all the more, and learn how to help others in their dilemmas. Job wondered where God was when it hurt (cf. Job 23:3). That's what fellowship may be seen as two fellows in the same ship.
One can play church or be into Churchianity and not even be saved, just going through the motions and memorizing the dance of the pious. God forbid that we become callous and blase to the Spirit and not listen to the voice of God speaking to us and our hearts, in that we become hard-of-hearing spiritually speaking. It is important to note that no believer is an island that doesn't need the body to have fellowship with and to grow with--no one's a rock except Christ!
In our infirmity we must learn to not depend on feelings and learn to walk by faith: the divine order is fact; faith; feeling--in that order! We must grow up and stop going by feeling thinking that we must always feel like it to do it, like feel like praying to pray or to witness or read Scripture; our feelings will vary like a weather vane in a whirlwind! Remember, that God withdrew from King Hezekiah to see what was on his heart and we are also subject to a test of our inner, true motives. God is not impassable or without feeling, and is a person with emotion too.
We are in the image of God and are persons too like God (we act, we feel, we will). We must never think that God has given up on us or that our salvation is by our own power or willpower even, but we are "kept by the power of God" (cf. 1 Pet. 1:5) unto salvation. God holds us in His divine hands and won't let go no matter how we feel or what we think. Our faith was a gift in the first place and it won't fail, for the gifts and calling of God are without repentance (cf. Rom. 11:29).
We must all endure trials, tests, temptations, and troubles, noting that our faith must be tested--and that Christ didn't even exempt Himself from trouble, and our so-called crosses pale in comparison to His burden on our behalf. Our burdens are eclipsed by His who paid the penalty we deserved. Note that we are not punished for our sins--rather, it's been said, but we are punished by our sins!
We cannot escape the reality that "adversity, discipline, sufferings, and trials will inevitably come" to us all one way or another--no one's exempt; Christ didn't even exempt Himself! Remember when God seems far away that He will never leave us nor forsake us and will be with us to the very end. If God got you to it; He'll get you through it! When we pass through the waters, He will be with us (cf. Isa. 43:2). We will never be overwhelmed by trouble or burden with God on our side.
We are never alone, for the Spirit abides in us and comforts us in our affliction, and we cannot lose for God is on our side--if God is for us, who can be against us? Note that we are to solace and comfort one another and to share burdens with one another.
And in conclusion, when we are out of it, we can bounce back into fellowship and get back into the race set before us, keeping our eyes on Jesus! No matter what we've done, God won't give up on us, for we are His children whom He loves unconditionally. We are never to lose heart, break faith, nor grow slack in the work of the Lord, but to be ever zealous. Soli Deo Gloria!
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