by Joshua Horn

Created on: November 07, 2007   Last Updated: January 09, 2009

Why must we put emotions aside to trust in God? David surely did not put aside his emotions as he cried out in dismay and anger at God, as is evident through the Psalms. Good surely came from those cries. We really want to know how to have faith in God despite our reservations or doubts.

I submit that there exist emotions which have a fundamental role in the Christian life and by recognizing them we can become more "in tune" with how God moves around us. While anyone can experience these emotions, I believe that Christians in particular find these to be more powerful in their experience with God. While these three emotions exist in their own fashion in other circumstances, I believe Christianity has in some fashion claimed these 3 emotions as its own.

Contrition - A sincere or complete remorse.

Contrition is more than being sorry or even ashamed for what you have done. In the Christian sense, this emotion resounds with divine and eternal implications. Sin brings spiritual death, eternal consequences, and a separation from our creator (Romans 6:23, 8:7). We are "broken", or made humble before God, and as a result we see the work of the Spirit moving us to repent from our ways and find a new life in Christ. The Psalmist said that the greatest sacrifice we could give is a broken and contrite heart, not anything we could muster up to please God (Psalm 51:17). Look through the Psalms and you will see many tales of despair, contrition, hope and repentance.

Gratitude - Thanksgiving

In many ways, this gratitude is far greater than that of the world. You can be thankful for a new CD, a car, free food, etc. But to be thankful for eternal salvation and the gift of hope? That is a thankful spirit that is far greater than anything we can find in the hearts of those without our Lord. A truly devoted follower is marked by a heart of thanksgiving. That person finds great pleasure in praising God for what he/she has, not for what they haven't received yet... A truly dependent believer "attributes causality to God as the creator, preserver, and redeemer of the believer's life" (Schleiermacher).

Compassion - To focus on the sufferer

I live in a world where I, and everyone around me, has so much. From iPods to computers to cars (and multiple of each in some instances), we see a need to spend, and put little effort into considering the suffering in this world. Is the "required" 10% tithe enough to save this world from poverty? I submit that it will come nowhere close. But to see the world's agony and to strive to change it is the mark of a believer filled with compassion. You may argue that compassion is not solely Christian, but I would argue that my life, and the life of others I know, has been drastically changed by a God who challenges me to step out and serve. I have never had such a strong desire to serve, and I attribute it to a Spirit that moves me to compassion; a compassion that is not of this world.

There is some benefit to being objective in the midst of hardship (to "put aside emotions", if you will). But it is probably even more important to recognize your emotions, then try to find a holy and God-pleasing way to express those emotions. They exist for a reason, so it is important that we honor God in how we express them. Maybe, with time, we can learn to trust God in and through our emotions.

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