Breaking Free From DepressionSample

Why Do Feelings Hurt?

Living in a world broken by sin is difficult. No one knows this better than Jesus. In chapter 11 of John’s Gospel, we catch a glimpse of Jesus’ emotional response to that difficulty.

Jesus’ friend, Lazarus, had died. When Jesus arrived at his tomb, the Scripture says that he was deeply moved. Then, Jesus wept.

Have you ever stopped to wonder why Jesus had such a strong emotional reaction? Why stop to cry about a death he was about to miraculously undo?

Well, it’s because Jesus, with the full weight of God’s love on his shoulders, was grieving over the broken state of his wonderfully made creation.

If Jesus was not immune to painful emotions, then neither is anyone else. In fact, Psalm 139 says that all of humanity is “fearfully and wonderfully made” by God, and God chose to make us with emotions.

Too often, we are taught to view negative emotions as a problem. Sadness, embarrassment, guilt, anger – we think of them as weaknesses, even sins.

But these feelings in themselves are not a problem. Instead, they are like warning lights that flash on when there is a problem. They are warnings that something needs to change, in our world or in us. In that sense, they are useful tools God has given us.

Consider fear, for example. The feeling of fear alerts you that a situation is potentially harmful. That may or may not be true, but the feeling – if you pay attention to it – will cause you to act. If this situation turns out to be dangerous, you can avoid it or seek help. If the situation is not in fact dangerous, you may begin to question why you feel it is – Are you believing a lie that is causing you to be afraid? Either way, the warning light has revealed a problem, in your reality or in your thinking, and that is what God designed our negative emotions to do for us.

Feelings hurt sometimes. But with the Lord’s help, you can learn to understand and manage your emotions rather than letting them control you.