“When Mordecai learned of all that had been done, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the city, wailing loudly and bitterly.” Esther 4:1 (NIV) |
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Excerpt:
I once heard a Christian counselor give some advice I’ve been trying to live by ever since: “Feel all your feelings,” he said, “and then lay them at the foot of the cross. Give them to Jesus.”
Feelings aren’t selfish. They aren’t a weakness or evidence of a lack of faith. And we need not fear our feelings. We can lean into them, experiencing them all fully — without the dread of wallowing — by bringing them to Jesus, our Savior who understands.
We can feel our grief as fully as Mordecai because we who believe have a Savior who can handle our strong emotions. He felt them, too. (Hebrews 4:15) Our God never changes, and in Jesus, we’re blessed with a gift Mordecai couldn’t have imagined!
Lord, I surrender myself to the goodness of grief, knowing that You’re with me there. Instead of numbing or stuffing my grief, I will trust You to bring comfort and healing as I feel my feelings fully. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
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