What to do with all the feelings

Heart racing, I quickly closed the door to my dorm room. I could feel my chest tighten, the air constricting in my lungs. Not again, Lord, please. 

I picked up the phone to call my boyfriend. No answer. Then my pastor, but the phone only rang and rang. Alone with no one else to talk to, I fell to the floor in defeat. I couldn’t hide or escape from the anxiety that gripped my brain. 

“Lord, I can’t do this anymore.”

With my face on the floor and tears pouring from my eyes, I cried out in desperation. 

“Help me, Jesus. I feel alone, trapped, unable to go on. No amount of Bible study, prayer groups, or psychology tricks has helped. I am weak. I feel like a failure. I can’t do this alone. Jesus, help me! I don’t want to feel this way anymore.”

On the floor of that dorm room, I found hope. 

I wish I could say I never have anxiety anymore, but that wouldn’t be true. However, I did learn the following… 

•  While sometimes getting help from others is part of God’s plan, taking our emotions, problems, and heart straight to HIM always brings hope. 

• No practice, spiritual discipline, or strategy trumps the benefits of an honest, authentic relationship with Jesus. They are tools to build the relationship, but being in His presence is the goal! 

• While God already knows all that I am feeling, it is important for me (and you) to admit those feelings to ourselves and to Him. Only then can we begin to experience the hope and healing He has to offer. 

We’re in a series of sharing tips for handling seasons of challenge.

Tip #1: Say the Struggle

Today’s Tip #2:

Take Your Feelings to Your Heavenly Father

What are you feeling today? Have you talked to your Heavenly Father about it?