November 29

Ecclesiastes 3:8
A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.

Biblical Insight
Some people who read the Bible criticize it for including phrases like “a time to hate.” They argue that we should never hate. While in theory the idea is good, it is simply not realistic. At times we all wrestle with anger and frustration. In Psalm 137 we read that the ancient Israelites felt hate seething in their bones; they wished God would cause the babies of the Babylonians to be dashed among the rocks. People reading this verse often forget that these mothers and fathers experienced this atrocity at the hands of the Babylonians. They needed to express their hurt. While we should never act on our rage, sometimes these times of hate are necessary to bring back times of love and peace.

Daily Devotion
Think about the last strong emotion you felt. Was it anger? joy? sadness? something else? Often we reduce our emotions into simplified generic labels, but the range of emotions we experience span a broad spectrum that might surprise you when you take the time to pinpoint what you’re feeling. In the 1980s psychologist Robert Plutchik theorized that eight primary human emotions could be expressed in a number of ways as a person can learn to more specifically articulate the particular emotion.

Whatever the number of emotions, what is clear is that God intentionally made us emotional creatures. How can we pray for the lost if we never feel empathy? How will we know to pray for healing if we never feel pain? And how can godly sorrow lead us to repentance if we never experience sorrow?

Emotions can be uncomfortable, but acknowledging them is vital to a relationship with Jesus Christ and others. There is a time and season for everything, even emotions. Consider today the state of your emotions. Is there anything you should do to be whole and holy in the way you steward your emotional health?