More Than A Feeling
Our feelings can be fickle. They can rise up at the strangest times, catch us off guard, and send us into a tailspin of regret if we act on them inappropriately. At the same time, feelings are important. They help us to recognize personal boundaries, empathize and care for others, and have a better sense of our surroundings.
This past Sunday, I decided to stay home from church because I was feeling ill.
Immediately, I began feeling guilty. I didn’t want to feel guilty, but the feeling was just there.
I then felt myself getting angry as various thoughts passed through my mind, “You’re missing out on in-person worship”, “Your kids aren’t growing in their faith”, “You’ve already missed church enough this year”. As I began going about my morning, I felt a bit silly, stuck, and upset with myself for letting this one decision get to me.
What I decided to do with those feelings mattered. Would I turn my feelings and circumstances over to the Lord? Or, would I continue to talk down to myself for not going to church and lash out in anger at my family because of my conflicted feelings?
Seeking God that morning, He reminded me that He loves me whether or not I’m able to attend in-person worship. I didn’t feel like surrendering my feelings of guilt and anger to the Lord, but I did anyway. As silly as it sounds, I had made a big deal out of something that wasn’t a big deal (but I’m not alone, right?). While gathering for in-person worship is important, it doesn’t make me more or less valuable to the King…
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Good day Amber you fine Sister of Faith! First I hope you are feeling like a dynamo, as I expect you most likely should from what I know about you; just having to keep up with being a wonderful mom and wife to your husband and children, along with everything else life gives you! This is a great testimony and offering! Believe me when I tell you, unbridled emotion is hazardous to one’s health and life, in a number of ways, but I don’t see you at all as a person of that sort that doesn’t have their wits about them or a handle on not overreacting! I see why you felt guilty, but, as you resolved it through prayerful contemplation and the Lord speaking to you; it came out right, because your gut and sensible wise thinking was correct from the get goes! But you did what I’ve done way too many times and still do, which is to doubt myself or hesitate when it’s all so simple to accept the situation and get on with your day!
So don’t take me wrong, but, if you do not feel well and you are not making excuses based on triviality, don’t hesitate to stay home and rest! While actually doing the responsible thing and not get worse being at low ebb maybe catching something else or in the least not potentially spreading a cold or bug or whatever! Be well, and then you will go to church when that is fully appropriate, but in the meantime if you stay home you worship from there!
That’s what I do and it works for me so far! Besides God knows if we are trying to play hooky like children will do to not go to school and I did that as a boy saying my tummy was aching or something. We’re adults and being honest with ourselves and of course God is pretty straight forward!
Have a blessed and happy fruitful day! And I hope I at least put a smile on your face or made you laugh at me!
I’m a silly guy right?
God bless you and yours!
Brother in Christ Jesus,
Lawrence
Thanks for your encouraging comment, Lawrence! Yes, all too simple, and yet we can make things so complicated, right? Have a blessed day!
Hahaha! Tell me about it my Dear Friend and Sister! I’m Mr. Complicated or Mr. Gadget of Creating Complications himself, the original worrywart making a mountain out of a molehill dude, when I was younger especially; but I did get past that stage or phase!
I still can slip into that sort backsliding Amber! So don’t feel bad, it’s not a problem unless we want it to be! You handled that situation absolutely fine, even perfect as I see it; and you came out ahead and aware of the good in what you had decided, it was all balanced out the way it needed to be! I think being a mother makes it a bit more difficult than say some dude like me; lots of concerns for a mother and they say a mother’s work is never done! Keep up that great work and see you again soon I hope!
God bless you and your family!
Brother in Christ,
Lawrence