Peace When Emotions Are Loud - Your Nightly Prayer - October 15th
Your Nightly Prayer
Audio By Carbonatix
By Amber Ginter, Crosswalk.com
Peace When Emotions Are Loud
Your Nightly Prayer
By Amber Ginter
TONIGHT'S SCRIPTURE
“The peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds." - Philippians 4:7, NIV
SOMETHING TO PONDER
When I was five years old, I used to love screaming. My Grandma Memo always told me that it was fine if I wanted to yell to process my emotions, but if I did so, I would have to go into the room and shut the door behind me. Sure enough, I'd march into the room, shut the door, and scream at the top of my lungs. When I realized no one could hear me or understand how I was feeling, I realized I was done. This wasn't fun, nor was it an effective way to share my emotions.
As funny as this story is, I think many of us try to do this in processing our emotions today. Instead of yelling, however, we shove them down. We think, "I shouldn't feel this way," and just hope for the best.
Friends, God doesn't want you to ignore your feelings; He wants you to bring them to Him. As the creator of our feelings, it's important to remember that God desires you to feel, but He also desires you to move beyond your feelings. When we're struggling to quiet the anxiety inside, remember that God isn't ashamed of you for feeling this way. He loves you. He sees you. He cares about you. But He's also with us through even this.
The next time you're wrestling with your emotions, I encourage you to press into them and feel. But then, remember that God is with you. He's within you and can help you process them. Not just that, but He can provide a peace that surpasses all understanding. That includes meditating on the truth of His scripture, but also providing friends, family, counselors, therapists, doctors, and medication to help us along the way. We can still access His peace when the emotions are loud, but only if we're honest with Him about how we're doing.
YOUR NIGHTLY PRAYER
Dear Jesus,
The emotions we face in this life can be so fickle. One moment we're happy and the next we're sad. Instead of beating ourselves up for how we're feeling, remind and encourage us to come to you. You care about us because we're your creation. Help us to access your peace that surpasses anything we can understand. Even if we're facing anxiety, depression, or other mental health struggles, lead us to receive the gift of your healing presence. We praise, thank, and love you, Lord.
Amen.
THREE THINGS TO MEDITATE UPON
1. When you're feeling overwhelmed, are you tempted to shove down your emotions? If so, choose to process these feelings with the Lord. Write them in a journal, talk to God, and truly express your innermost emotions.
2. Do you struggle to find peace amid your emotions? God gave us emotions to feel, but not to control our lives. Take time to read and study Philippians 4:7. Do a word study on what it means to receive His peace.
3. Are you feeling ashamed because of your struggles? Shame doesn't come from God. Talk with a friend or counselor about these circumstances and pray together.
Photo Credit: ©Pexels/Daniel Reche
Amber Ginter is a teacher-turned-author who loves Jesus, her husband Ben, and granola. Growing up Amber looked for faith and mental health resources and found none. Today, she offers hope for young Christians struggling with mental illness that goes beyond simply reading your Bible and praying more. Because you can love Jesus and still suffer from anxiety. You can download her top faith and mental health resources for free to help navigate books, podcasts, videos, and influencers from a faith lens perspective. Visit her website at amberginter.com.
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