I was about to go start a painting, but
something I came across while eating lunch inspired me to write
instead.
In true, honest fashion, I must say
that shiny-happy-people-wannabees make me feel a whole lot of complex
emotions, if you get my drift. FAKE! Is what immediately crosses my
mind. I think this is why many stay away from church. Too many
Stepford people, or walking dead, are filling the pews. Not all, of
course, many are wonderful and authentic people, but enough to still
keep many suspicious or discerning folks at a distance.
It is NOT ok to pretend you are happy
when you are not, or happier than you really are. It IS OK not to
feel happy when unhappy stuff is going on. It is NOT ok to force
intellectual doctrine on the emotions of the heart. You will split
yourself into multiples and then judge others for not doing the same.
It IS OK to say, “stuff is going on that makes me feel like crap,
but I know God has my heart and will minister to me.”
And when He does, because He will, give
Him the glory. Then an authentic song of praise will spill from your
heart.
Contrast that with, “(Look how
awesome I am): I just worshiped my way to a breakthrough and prayed
all night, (I rock! And oh yeah, praise Jesus!). Why can't you do
that? (must be something wrong with you, try harder you weak
Christian!)”. Who's getting the glory now?
Telling someone they “shouldn't be
sad or down because they are saved by Jesus” and “if you just
pray more or praise more or had more will-power you'd be fine”, is
like a kick in the gut after you're already down from a kick in the
head. It's like lemon juice on a cut. For those willing to be
honest about it.
For those who are still afraid of their
emotions and think that if they feel too sad or down then they must
not be “saved”, and so you apply a veneer and tell yourself the
veneer is real and the emotions are not, please stop. It's
disgusting. And, it's unscriptural. God wants your heart, imperfect
as it is, not your fake veneer.
And the real people of the world want
to know a real God, not your veneer-accepting version.
Jesus was a man of sorrows.
King David was prone to seasons of
depression.
But they knew how to bring that to the
Father. They didn't do it with shiny-happy songs. They did it by
being honest with the most understanding Being ever.
I cannot imagine singing praise when my
heart is in pain. I would have to seriously shut that heart down to
do it. Do you know what that sounds like? A religeous spirit. It
will kill the very essence of you: your heart. The part God really
wants.
A heart that's been killed is never
really dead though, it lives in dark places where we keep it hidden
and tranquilized with whatever it takes to keep it there.
Tranquilized with too much alcohol, too much television, drugs, too
many movies, too many romance novels, pornography, violence,
gambling, overworking, adultrey, too much internet, too much
shopping... All these issues exist both in and out of the church
among those who are afraid to really bring their hearts to Jesus.
Bring your true heart to God. Your
life depends on it. Say no to veneer. He will not leave you
standing with your heart in your hands, He will embrace you and show
you the path of His love. I know, because I've been there.
Ecclesiastes 7:3
Frustration is better than laughter,
because a sad face is good for the heart.
Ecclesiastes 3:4
a time to weep and a time to laugh, a
time to mourn and a time to dance,
Proverbs 25:20
Like one who takes away a garment on a
cold day, or like vinegar poured on a wound, is one who sings songs
to a heavy heart.
Psalm 61:1-3
Hear my cry, O God;
listen
to my prayer.
From the ends of the earth I call to
you,
I call as my heart grows
faint;
lead me to the rock that is higher
than I.
For you have been my refuge,
a
strong tower against the foe.
I think you'll find, when you pull off that veneer, there's something really beautiful hidden underneath, and God is waiting to begin the restoration.
