“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin.” – Hebrews 4:15

Chances are, you have felt a whole range of emotions over the last couple weeks. The holidays tend to do that to us. We have great joy over seeing loved ones, sorrow over the ones we’ve lost, frustration over the things that have not gone well, and even anger over difficult relationships. Sometimes we are ashamed of our emotions, thinking that those emotions, in and of themselves, somehow make us evil or immature. But that is not the case. Alistair Begg has said, “In his embracing of human emotion, the Lord Jesus legitimizes the reality of our emotional pain.” Emotion is a natural part of the human experience.

Hebrews 4:15 teaches us that Jesus was human in the purest sense. The only thing that separated his humanness from ours was his sinlessness. Jesus felt happiness, sorrow, and even anger just like we do. I submit to you today that emotions are nothing to be ashamed of. In fact, if we are ever going to deal with our emotions properly, we need to recognize them, admit how difficult they are, and seek the Lord’s guidance on how to live with them in a healthy way. The very next verse in Hebrews says, “Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” (Hebrews 4:16). Be open and honest with God. Bring all your pain, sorrow, joy, confusion, and anger before his throne. Only there will you find the grace and mercy you need.

Almighty, intimate, and loving heavenly Father, give us the wisdom to never hide our emotions from You. Help us to be transparent with You and with our loved ones. Help us to recognize our emotions and deal with them in a healthy way. And shower us with grace and mercy as we learn this important aspect of being human.

In Christ’s Service,

Pastor Shane Cannon