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Saturday Thoughts on Emotion and Faith
By Dan | June 28, 2008
I was recently reading an account of John Wesley and his conversion experience. Now I don’t know if you want to go through the whole thing, but what most caught my attention was the portion that begins at point 13. As you read through his story it’s interesting to think about how emotion is involved. There are points at which he experiences highs of emotion, heart-warming, triumph, etc. There is also a discussion of how at one point he is shocked by a lack of emotion. He reflects that emotion is God’s to give.
While I don’t agree with Wesley on everything he says here or in other places, these are words of wisdom. Lutherans tend to have an uncomfortable relationship with emotion. Sometimes we are proud that our worship, prayers, and so on are not overly crowded with emotion. We point out that too often people are swayed by emotions that come and go, and as much as they have highs, they also have lows and then become disappointed with faith. That’s true.
But we also have to deal with the other side of the tension where we sometimes wonder why we can’t have the passion and fervor of other Christians who embrace emotion.
Scripture certainly speaks about the necessity of emotion in the life of the Christian (1 Pe 4:8; 1 Co 16:22, Ro 12:12, Ph 4:4, 2 Co 7:10, Pro 8:13, Mt 10:28), but that it comes at the right time and for the right purposes.
Which side of the path do you tend toward? Do you worship God and avoid or hold back emotion which he asks for as part of your complete worship (Matt. 22:37-38) or do you tend to get swept up in emotional highs and lows and get burned out?
Pray now that as you reflect on this and prepare yourself for worship tomorrow that God would use your emotions in a pleasing manner.
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June 28th, 2008 at 9:32 am
Yes…nice post, Dan.
I’m rediscovering the beauty of PASSION. Emotions can be faked and acted out, but passion has to come from somewhere even deeper than your heart: it comes from your identity!
We’ve all seen the cheesy, fakey worship leaders (and actors & performers) and because of them said, “I don’t want worship to be emotional.” But I think we’ve thrown the baby out with the bathwater.
I want worship to be emotional - but I want it to be real emotions: complete with joy AND pain, exuberance AND honest reality. When a pastor or worship leader is faking these things, it’s easy to write them off.
But when they truly are speaking from their place of PASSION - when they are the conduits for me to experience the severity of both fearing and loving God- they are inspiring and make me want to listen & follow what they’re saying.
All of this is possible only through the Holy Spirit. It is the Spirit that brings this PASSION into who we are - into who He makes us to be!
I pray for PASSION…everyday…