Let God Control All Your Emotions

John 11:32-36 -   When Mary arrived where Jesus was, she fell down at his feet, saying, “Sir, if you had been here, my brother would still be alive.” When Jesus saw her weeping and the Jewish leaders wailing with her, he was moved with indignation and deeply troubled.  “Where is he buried?” he asked them. They told him, “Come and see.”  Tears came to Jesus’ eyes.  “They were close friends,” the Jewish leaders said. “See how much he loved him.”

 

Jesus had only been a few miles away from His close friend Lazarus. He could fell the heavy hearts of all who came to comfort Mary and Martha.  He could feel the hatred and plotting of the leaders that waited for Him to come to their aide.  He could have healed Him in seconds at any moment…even from a distance….but he waited knowing the impact of raising him after he had died would glorify God all the more.

 

This story is a reminder to me that Jesus experienced every emotions that I feel…many of them just in this one 4 day period. Sadness for the disbelief of those that waited on Him…grief from allowing His close friend to experience such pain…anger at those leaders that stood around gloating at the fact that He supposedly could not heal this man….anxiety over the waiting God had Him do before He could go and raise his friend….and compassion as he walked into the crowd and felt the heavy hearts around Him.

 

I loved the commentary in my Life Application Bible that said… “ we sometimes have to experience hurts in order to understand and let God reveal His power over them.”  I am sure that it was as hard for Jesus to experience all these emotions as it is me. The difference is that Jesus looked ahead to the joy that would come when He spoke to Lazarus to come out.  The difference is that Jesus did not allow these emotions to freeze Him and start a pity party….He let them strengthen Him for the wait….give Him courage to face the leaders that were plotting to kill Him.  Jesus let the Father control His emotions…so he could show His power in the mightiest way people had seen yet.

 

Father…thank you for the reminder that you are able to help me control and use every emotion I feel in every moment.  Forgive me for the times that I have let emotions freeze me into pity parties…or plant seeds of bitterness and anger that have gotten out of control.  Help me to give all my emotions to you as soon as I feel them…so that you can use them to give me power to wait and courage to let you uses them for your glory.  Amen.