Tuesday 23 July 2013

Feeling Overwhelmed

Anger. Depression. Loneliness. Guilt. These are emotions that powerfully affect our lives.We find them hopelessly undesirable, and at times, they can completely overwhelm us.

But the good news is even when we feel we’re losing our emotional battles, God is actually winning the war! Though it might not feel like it, God has a positive message for us in our negative emotions—and can use those emotions for spiritual growth and maturity.

Unfortunately, as fallen human beings, living in a fallen world, we aren’t given the privilege to pick and choose which emotions we will experience in our lives. We appreciate and value all the joy, love, laughter, peace, and excitement we can wrap our arms around. But then, we also have to deal with the dark side of the emotional spectrum.

But those emotions—the darker and more difficult ones—are important. In fact, they reveal a great deal about who we are and where we are in life.
There are two key steps involved in working through these painful emotions. The first is coming to an honest understanding of why you feel the way you do. The second is gaining an insight into what God wants you to do about it.If your struggle is with frustration, it could be that you are in the wrong place in life, forsaking the best things for the good things. If you’re feeling angry at someone, God may be prompting you to offer forgiveness. If it’s guilt, then there’s a good chance He’s reminding you to turn to Jesus, confess your sins, and trust in His forgiveness.

When we understand ourselves better and are able to see what God is saying to us through our emotional trials, we can begin to turn our negative emotions into joyful and abundant living.

The Bible says God trains you and me through our trials and difficulties. That is where we build spiritual muscle. James 1:12 lays out this fantastic promise:
 Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.
So whatever the emotion you are struggling with (and we all struggle at times!), remember to keep trusting in Jesus, because serving Him is worth every trial, every problem, and every tear! His Word makes sense of our confusion, and His Holy Spirit offers freedom and peace in the midst of crisis.
 

Pastor Jeff Schreve


For information about Pastor Jeff's speaking schedule or to invite him to speak at your church or event, e-mail us today.
Pastor Jeff Schreve’s real life story is one of personal transformation. His struggles and victories form the foundation of his calling and intersect with the lives of people from all walks-of-life. His positive message is compelling many into a genuine life-experience with the living God. Jeff believes the Bible is true and he is passionate about introducing Christ to those who feel hopeless, helpless and think God is out of reach.
Pastor Schreve believes it is a shame for a preacher to be boring. That is why he "tells it like it is" with clear biblical content combined with engaging, personal stories that are relevant, compassionate, and humorous. His messages are filled with life-giving principles for living.
Jeff is a graduate of The University of Texas at Austin (1984) with a degree in Business Administration.  After spending twelve years in sales, God called Jeff to preach.  He graduated from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in December of 2000 with a Master of Divinity degree and is working to finish his Doctor of Ministry studies there. He served as Pastor of Membership and Missions at Champion Forest Baptist Church in Houston, TX from 1997 to 2003 before being called to First Baptist Texarkana as Senior Pastor in February of 2003.  Since 2003, God has blessed the church with rapid and sustained growth, great energy, excitement, and spiritual transformation.  In 2010, First Baptist Church Texarkana was honored at the annual National Religious Broadcasters convention in Nashville with the Milestone Award for 50 years of continuous TV broadcasting of the Gospel.

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