“Pastor, I believe in Jesus and I’m trying to serve God. But I don’t always feel close to him. Is there something wrong with me?” I’ve been asked some version of this question a few different times. Even though the individual is a believer, they wonder if there’s something wrong with them because they don’t … Continue reading When you don’t FEEL close to God
feelings
Pretending to be perfect
Today I’d like to ask you this: If you’re going through something really tough, have you talked to someone about it? Talking to someone about your situation can be hard. It can be difficult to verbalize your feelings. Or maybe you doubt if it will do any good. But one of the reasons I think … Continue reading Pretending to be perfect
Good guilt?
In Psalm 38:4 David said, “My guilt has overwhelmed me like a burden too heavy to bear.” Can you relate? Feeling guilty is no fun. But let’s explore whether some guilt can actually be a good thing. First, there is Loud Guilt. It’s that guilt you feel when you’ve clearly done something wrong. Maybe you’ve … Continue reading Good guilt?
Does the Spirit make you “feel” different?
This week I’m addressing some of the questions people have about the Holy Spirit. I think it will help clarify our thinking, and encourage us for living. The Holy Spirit is the third Person in the Trinity. He is the Person, power and presence of God active and alive in the world today. In Acts … Continue reading Does the Spirit make you “feel” different?
Reactivity skews reality
In high school science class we learned one of Newton’s laws: “For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.” I think this can teach us something about relationships as well. Imagine a time when someone said something that really upset you. You probably had an emotional reaction. …it may have been really powerful. … Continue reading Reactivity skews reality
When you don’t FEEL God’s presence
There’s a compelling passage in 2 Chronicles 32:31 about a king named Hezekiah. It says that “God withdrew from Hezekiah in order to test him and to see what was really in his heart.” Many things happened when Hezekiah was king. But in this verse we’re told that God “withdrew” from him. It was a … Continue reading When you don’t FEEL God’s presence
The idolatry of our feelings
In Jonah 1:1 we read, “The word of the LORD came to Jonah… ‘Go to the great city of Ninevah and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.’” Jonah didn’t want to do it, so he fled on a ship in the exact opposite direction. He was thrown overboard and swallowed … Continue reading The idolatry of our feelings
When the feeling of love is lacking
I think I’m a pretty loving person. Usually. As long as I’m well-rested, un-rushed, and not feeling overwhelmed by my life! But as soon as I’m tired, rushed, and overwhelmed, I’m a lot less loving! But even in those moments we are called to be the hands and feet of Christ to one another. Even … Continue reading When the feeling of love is lacking
Annoying people
People can be really… annoying! Who knows, maybe you think I’M annoying. (Maybe people think YOU’RE annoying!) Either way, you and I live our days with other people—many of whom rub us the wrong way. You know who I’m talking about! It could be someone at work, school or church. It could be someone on … Continue reading Annoying people
When strikeouts aren’t strikeouts
I’ve been thinking about baseball lately. Maybe it’s because the weather is getting warmer and my son is about the start little league! Consider this. A decent batting average in the major leagues is .250. That means you consistently get a hit one out of every four times you go to the plate. If you … Continue reading When strikeouts aren’t strikeouts
