The alarm clock taunts me for the fifth time in twenty minutes. I shudder as I poke a toe out of my blankets to test the air. Its sharp coldness makes me retreat my toes before the shivers travel up my legs. After a few minutes of self talk, I venture out of my bed and triumphantly march toward the direction of the light switch. Instead of my hands finding the light however, my big toe violently discovers the edge of my desk.
That is when I knew they were starting to attack me. I can hardly push them away. They tell me to give up on school, and who cares if I missed just one pre-calculus class, or slept in another hour? I ask them nicely to stop, but the sound of my own groaning from a smashed toe is still unable to calm them. Don’t worry, I don’t need to tell the Dean about them; regardless of their dangerous nature, I still own and control them.
Emotions, mine especially, if untrained are powerful enough to convince a wife to divorce her husband, a depressed teenager isolate in a lonely bedroom, or even something as simple as convincing a college student like me that school is not worth the struggle of my morning routine. Coming from someone who is predominantly right-brained, meaning my actions are more influenced by emotions than reason, I understand the danger in letting emotions take control. I have learned so many valuable lessons during my freshman year here at Southern Adventist University. I understand now more than ever, that emotions act the same as pain. If you can survive them and move on, your body will forget the pain.
God gave us the most amazing tool for us to fight the battle over our crazy emotions—connection to Him through His son Jesus Christ. Imagine the kind of emotions Jesus was feeling during his last hours praying in the garden of Gethsemane. Even Jesus was not free from fear and uncertainty. He prays earnestly, “Now my heart is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour” (John 12:27). Jesus could have let his fear take over his body; he could have easily fled. But he knew, that no matter what pain, physical and emotional he went through, the Lord would be at his side, feeling the same hurt. Every lash and cut that Jesus endured, God felt the same pain.
That is so amazing about our God! He never lets those who love him suffer anything alone. When Jesus sweat drops of blood, the Lord felt his pain with him. If you are suffering from the loss of a loved one, a recent break up, or failed test score and the whole world seems to be covered in a dark haze, remember that you are not alone. Remember that the pain of emotions are temporary, but the love of Jesus is forever.
