Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today – May 21, 2014
“Then he said to them, ‘My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.’ Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, ‘My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.’” Matthew 26:38-39
Jesus suffered emotionally and physically. Anguish welled up in His soul from betrayal, aloneness, and the anticipation of a cruel death on a rugged cross. His righteous response was to cry out to His heavenly Father for relief—while trusting that His will be done. Do you find yourself in this tension of trust in God’s will? Are your emotions ravaged by the pain of conflicting desires? It’s in our dark night of the soul that the Lord brings light.
Your emotions may be on the brink of brokenness from relationships that compete for your attention. You can’t please everyone all the time—your stomach is knotted up—not sure what to do, you feel conflicted and confused. Maybe the loyalty of someone you thought valued your professional relationship has melted in the face of financial pressures. Solitude has diluted your confidence in your ability to understand what God wants.
It’s during these times of emotional upheaval that we need to jettison feeling sorry for ourselves and determine not to give up on God and His game plan. Some people you thought would be there for you will wander away—but others you did not expect to show up—will come forward with faith in you and hope in heaven. So wait; worry will pass.
“Have mercy on me, my God, have mercy on me, for in you I take refuge. I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings until the disaster has passed” (Psalm 57:1).
Be wise and avoid making life-altering decisions during times of extended emotional upheaval. If you vow to get someone back in passive defiance—it will eat away the joy in your heart. If anger is driving your decision to fire someone at work or to file for divorce, then wait and let the Holy Spirit stabilize your stress and strengthen your faith.
Above all, seek the comfort of Christ during intense conflict and confusion. His warm embrace soothes your bruised feelings and heals your broken heart. Seek out friends whose acceptance, accountability, and prayers prove to be the hands and feet of Jesus. Alone you will simmer in sinful attitudes, but with God and godly company you will discover and follow His will. Emotional suffering is healed by heaven’s hope.
“Faith and love that spring from the hope stored up for you in heaven” (Colossians 1:5a).
Prayer: What decision do I need to wait on until the Holy Spirit stabilizes my emotions?
Related Readings: 2 Samuel 22:23; Psalm 9:9; Nahum 1:7; Acts 28:27
Post/Tweet today: Avoid making life-altering decisions during times of extended emotional upheaval. #wisdomhunters
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© 2014 by Boyd Bailey. All rights reserved.
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Oh man, I needed this today more than anything. I appreciate your time and devotion to doing these daily nuggets of wisdom. God bless you and this ministry.
Sincerely,
Jamie, NC
I pray blessings for your ministry as it is a daily lifeline to me directly from the Holy Spirit. He answers my prayers, joys and struggles thru these saily. They always meet me right where I am with exactly what I need to hear. God is good thank you for this faithful ministry. God and I thank you.
This is exactly what I needed to read today.. I have been broken and weary in my soul and I am finally coming out of the fog and sand storm (if you will) and I am beginning to see clearly again. Thank you for your wonderful words of encouragement. I love your ministry. May God continue to richly bless you and yours. Much love and appreciation..
This was a time when I needed guidance for hurt feelings and found exactly the words to show me the way. Your work is truly an instrument of God to help those who will hear. May God continue to bless you and your ministry as you are blessing others.
Dear Donna~
Thank you so much for your kind words of encouragement for our ministry. We are so very thankful that you were blessed by the words in this devotional. Isn’t it awesome when God speaks directly to us through His Word, people, circumstances, and devotionals? Wow! It never ceases to amaze me!
Please know that I will pass along your thoughtful words to Boyd. We would love to hear from you again and want you to know that if you have any prayer requests for yourself or your loved ones, please let us know.
Believing and trusting~
Gwynne
gwynne@wisdomhunters.com