Lately many of us have struggled with emotions. The coronavirus pandemic has created stress we did not anticipate, yet has provided a golden opportunity to look at present circumstances and determine if we are living our best life, or if there are some changes we need to make.
Much of what we have experienced is heartbreak, plain and simple. There is a grieving process we go through -- or grow through -- when things change. Whether it is the loss of a job due to unforeseen circumstances or a shift in our ideology brought on by outside forces, it is natural to mourn the loss and be anxious about whatever changes we may need to make. For the introspective among us, deliberating and thinking about these things can bring on a brokenness and guilt that is oppressive.
As I was praying about my emotions, I felt led to write the words of Psalm 51 in my journal. It is a familiar psalm to many of us. Of particular comfort to me were the words in verse 17: "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise" (ESV).
If God regards a broken spirit as a sacrifice, and does not despise a broken and contrite heart, then why should we feel guilty about the emotions and sorrow we may feel during this very stressful season of our lives?
God is merciful. He understands. Rather than fret over our lives and the hard challenges we may be facing, let us offer up our broken hearts as a sacrifice of praise.
Copyright © 2020 by Dee Dee Wike. All rights reserved. www.deedeewike.com
