The Weekly Encourager – March 3, 2016 – Feelings and The Knots Prayer

Is your stomach in knots? Last night at a Bible study on Romans 6, we talked about feelings and the truth of the gospel. Without Christ, we were “slaves to sin,” which amounts to selfishness and a desire to be independent from God; but, in Christ we are “slaves to righteousness,” which brings love, joy, and peace. One mother said that her four-year old daughter told her, “If you don't make me happy, I'm going to leave this house!” Of course everyone laughed, but I thought, isn't this how we are with God?

We say, “God, if You don't make me happy, I'm going to leave Your house.” We so easily believe the lie that, just because He loves us, God is supposed to do just what we want Him to do! If He delays or says no for some reason, we feel perfectly justified in complaining. Ungratefulness is a poison which spreads through the whole system: it can lead to discontent, anxiety, depression, resentment, and disobedience, not to mention its negative effect on everyone around us. If not checked, our emotions can cause us to give up on God, to stop believing in Him, to leave His house.

If ungratefulness is a form of withdrawal from the Lord, then gratefulness is our way to approach Him. “In everything, with prayer and thanksgiving, make your requests known to God.” Prayer interlaced with thanksgiving is the way to peace when our emotions are tying us in knots. Knowledge of the gospel informs our prayers. The more we know about the Lord of Scripture, the more we can trust in Him alone for happiness, no matter what trials we face in our daily lives. When we look at this world and the people all around us, we feel abandoned without the truth of the Bible constantly on our minds.

Feelings can be tricky for believers. Some Christians try to deny or suppress any bad feelings, especially if they seem “wrong.” These are the Sunday-perfect Christians who never show any weakness or problem. On the other side are Christians who express so much emotion that they allow it to take over their lives, sometimes thinking that every strong emotion is a word directly from the Holy Spirit. We have to be careful not to err on either side. A good example is King David: he was transparent about all his various emotions when he prayed to the Lord. He wasn't afraid of honest emotion, yet he didn't allow it to rule him. He always answered emotion with Truth. Feelings are real, but they don't determine Reality.

We fall in the same way, time after time, and we feel guilty or stupid, like slaves to sin. We wonder about which way to go in our lives and we feel lost or abandoned, like children without a home. We have failed relationships, financial trouble, job stress, poor health, or whatever, and we worry, like those who have no salvation. We see the success of others, and we feel jealous, like orphans with no good parent to provide. When will God answer? What if He doesn't want me to be happy? What if I'm just not good enough?

The Bible tells us that the Father created us in love, Jesus loved us enough to die for us, and the Holy Spirit loves us enough to live within our hearts. Tim Keller says, “God is my Judge, and he has accepted me in Jesus Christ.” Paul says, “the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” - Romans 6:23 How I need this reminder! I am loved, I am accepted, I am adopted, nothing can separate me from the love of Christ!

Today, struggling with depression and seeking direction, needing a good cry yet too tired to cry, I made a list of all the things on my mind which are keeping me from resting. I wrote out the thoughts and emotions which are pulling away my peace. The idea was to commit each concern to God in prayer, renewing my trust in His wisdom, plan, and perfect timing.

Then I saw this prayer posted by my friend Polly, and it was just what I needed today. Maybe you need it, too.

The Knots Prayer

“Dear God, please untie the knots that are in my mind, my heart, and my life. Remove the have nots, the can nots, and the do nots that I have in my mind. Erase the will nots, may nots, and might nots that find a home in my heart. Release me from the could nots, would nots, and should nots that obstruct my life. And most of all, dear God, I ask that you remove from my mind, my heart, and my life all of the am nots that I have allowed to hold me back, especially the thought that I am not good enough. Amen”

- Iyanla Vanzant

Lord, increase our faith! “For Thou art great, and doest wondrous things: Thou art God alone. Teach me Thy way, O Lord; I will walk in Thy truth: unite my heart to fear Thy name. I will praise Thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart: and I will glorify Thy name for evermore.” - Psalm 86:10-12

God is faithful,
j

The Knots Prayer, from “Every Day I Pray” by Iyanla Vanzant. For more information, visit http://www.iyanla.com/ or http://concordpastor.blogspot.com/2009/11/knots-prayer.html

I welcome your comments below.