Pastoral Archives - King's Arms Church

At times, we may be tempted to avoid our difficult emotions and wonder if it’s okay as Christians to express our pain, anger and disappointment. However, when we look at the Bible, we see it is filled with a wide range of emotions. For instance, Jesus expressed deep sorrow at the loss of His friend Lazarus and felt righteous anger at the behaviour He witnessed in the temple. The book of Lamentations is dedicated to lamenting, which is a profound expression of sadness.

Additionally, David provides a powerful example of someone who fully expressed his heart before God, communicating his pain and anger honestly while ultimately returning to a place of truth and faith. Let’s delve into how David used the Psalms to navigate and process these difficult feelings:

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
Psalm 23:4

We might sometimes feel like we are walking through a dark valley, feeling lost, alone, and hopeless. We may be grieving, disappointed, in pain, hurt or angry. Psalm 23 tells us that the Lord is our Shepherd who cares for His flock — He provides, leads, protects, supports and stays close. In our darkest times, it can be a struggle to find God, but the Good Shepherd is always near, guiding us through the valley until we emerge on the other side.

Reflection:
In our dark valleys, let’s hold onto the faith that God is with us even when we are unable to see Him, trusting that He will lead us to wide open spaces and still waters. As our Good Shepherd, He remains steadfastly close to us through every trial.

“Why am I so discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise Him again — my Saviour and my God.”
“Now I am deeply discouraged, but I will remember you…”
“O God my rock” I cry. “Why have you forgotten me? Why must I wander around in grief? I will praise Him.”
Psalm 42:5-6, 9

Have you ever found yourself swinging between pain and despair, grasping moments of truth only to return to the depths of sorrow? This is quite a normal process when we are grieving or lamenting. What David demonstrates to us here is his honesty with God about what he is feeling — he is very real and raw about the areas of his heart that he is struggling with. His transparency teaches us the power of putting our feelings into words before God in an unfiltered way.

Reflection:
Maybe this is something you may need to do in this season? Do you need to take time with God to honestly pour out your disappointment, pain and anger?
Consider reaching out to a trusted friend who can pray with you and support you through this process of bringing your feelings to God.

“Yet I am confident I will see the Lord’s goodness while I am here in the land of the living. Wait patiently for the Lord. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the Lord.”
Psalm 27:13-14

As Christians, we can sometimes jump to do ‘the right thing’ of declaring truths but in the process avoid looking at our deeper emotions. Yet, ignoring those emotions doesn’t mean that they’ll eventually go away — they won’t. They linger within us, weighing us down and resurfacing unexpectedly when we feel triggered. It’s important to create space to acknowledge and express our emotions. Let’s notice what we can learn from David here: after wrestling with deep pain and despair, he brings himself back to the truth of who God is. He declares that even though it’s hard and he can’t see God right now, he knows that he will see God’s goodness one day. He models patience, bravery and courage — all things we need when we are navigating our dark valleys.

Reflection:
Don’t avoid the difficult emotions. Create intentional time with God to express yourself, putting words to the feelings with physical expressions like crying. If it feels overwhelming, consider doing this with a friend.

Once you’ve poured out your heart, come back to the truth of who God is. Faith is being sure of what you hope for and certain of what you do not see (Hebrews 11:1). Tell yourself, “Even if I can’t see God right now I choose to believe that He is with me and I will wait patiently on Him with courage.”

By looking at David’s example in the Psalms, we can find a path to authentically express our deepest emotions while anchoring ourselves in God’s truth. Be encouraged today to pour out your heart before God and to find comfort in His presence, trusting Him to lead you through whatever you are facing right now.

Much love,
Philbe Kellett and the eFocus team

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds all understanding. His peace will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:6-7

There are times when we can feel disconnected or distant from God. We may feel duty-bound to spend time with Him saying to ourselves that we should pray or read our Bible; other times our worries and concerns block us from coming to God.

Rather than providing a formula that fixes anxiety or a list of tasks that need to be achieved in order to feel peace, this scripture gives us guidance on how to reconnect relationally to God in times of feeling anxious; it’s about our relationship and connection to God when we feel anxious.

So, what does that look like? Here are some ways we can do that:

Pray about everything

Often when we’re anxious or worried we can look to other things to help us. This might include things that distract us such as being busy, socialising, spending time on our phones, finding comfort in food or alcohol or looking to escape our reality through TV or the books we read.

Action steps

What difference would it make if you were to talk to God before you reach for one of the above comforts?
What if you could find comfort in your relationship with God?
Try speaking to God like He is a friend. Tell Him the things you are concerned about and be honest, which might look like, “I don’t know where to start God but I’m having a tough time and I need your help.”

Tell God what you need

In order to do this we must take a moment to notice what we do need. Sometimes it’s not always the obvious thing. For example, if it’s a financial concern the obvious need is money but what about community and the encouragement and support of others around us?

Action steps

Have you taken the time to really notice what you need right now?
Take a moment to be quiet before God and notice your emotional, physical, mental, social, financial and spiritual needs. Make a list of what comes to mind and bring those things to God.

Practise thankfulness

Thankfulness is a great practice to help remind us of the good that is around us. It can be easier to focus on the things that are difficult but, even in anxious times, there are still things we can be thankful for. Practising thankfulness can help build our hope levels even when we feel challenged by our circumstances.

Action steps

Take time each day to thank God for 3 things. You could also make a note of them to read through at the end of each week to remind yourself that there is hope.

God’s peace exceeds our understanding

This peace goes beyond something we can work out with our mind. It’s something that we experience — a peace that settles in our soul, in the deepest part of who we are as a person. It’s knowing who God is and what He will do with the expectation and hope of ‘good’ even when times are tough and letting that truth soak into our spirit.

Action steps

Take a moment to receive God’s peace and imagine it soaking into the deepest part of yourself.

God’s peace guards our hearts and minds

God’s peace acts like a protective filter that we view the challenges of life through. It doesn’t mean that we won’t experience anxiety at times or feel low but this peace allows us space to connect with God and to receive hope.

Action steps

We don’t have to wait until we’re struggling to practise receiving God’s peace. Try taking time out in your week to connect with God and be still before Him, take some deep breaths and feel His peace around you and in you.
Why not share that peace with others who may need it?

We understand that January, in particular, can be a challenging month for many due to various reasons. If you find yourself struggling, please know that you are not alone. It takes a lot of courage to ask for help. Please reach out to your church community, family and friends if you need support.

May God’s peace and love surround you today, and may you hold onto His hope. He is with you.

With love,
Philbe Kellett and the eFocus Team