Originally published Monday, 05 October 2015.
Sometimes I feel that I have a personal obligation to those around me.
A smile must go on, a fake cheer must resound and my words must say,
"I'm fine" and really mean it.
I can't let others go south based on overly exposed emotions.
Ever feel that way?
Like you couldn't feel the way you wanted to feel?
That you were the helper extraordinaire,
unable to step down from your lofty position to ask for help?
That you were a burden bringer not a blessing keeper
if you opened the floodgates?
That people would hustle you to the nearest cave,
verses rush to your rescue?
Usually when we hide our burdens away, we hide them away from God too.
We shove them into the attic of our mind, bundled, tied and bound so that we don't have to acknowledge the burden of actually living too near to them. They aren't pretty.
We don't want others to hate us for bringing them into this thing called - mess.
Sometimes, we would rather avoid the "feel" part in this thing called "heal."
But, what we are so often quick to forget is that:
God hears the one who calls - and the one who calls - he is prone to take their call to answer it.
- Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved. Ps. 55:22
- The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles. Ps. 34:17
- Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. 1 Pet. 5:7
God doesn't tell us to take our feelings and run far, he takes us to take our feelings and cast them far. To see them for what they are, hold them and to throw them - up.
Feelings are not bad, they just need to be tended for by the master shepherd of care.
Let them live - but, let God live near them.
- The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. Ps. 34:18
- The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. Ps. 18:2
- But you are a shield around me, O LORD; you bestow glory on me and lift up my head. Ps. 3:3
Even when those around us don't respond well, when we cast what exists up to God, he keeps us behind the power of his shield. God, every time, stands ready to deflect the bullets of advice, repair and condemnation by others.
Safety for our heart is found in the safe refuge of our God.
- Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. Jo. 15:4
A product, a result, a fruit results when we keep the flow of our feelings attached the source of our life-flow. He gives us what we need to repair in a way that we can give to others what they really want - not just a fake version of our best self.
And he promises us:
- “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Jo. 14:18
- And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. 1 Pet. 5:10
In God's arms, and maybe not today or tomorrow, but some day, we become untroubled as we remove our stuff from the attic and we bring it to the master carpenter who faithfully works to reshape what feels broken.
- Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. John 14:1
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