Jesus' Emotional Faith: Dealing With Spiritual Turbulence

how do jesus deal with the emotion of faith

Jesus experienced a wide range of emotions during his time on Earth. He felt and expressed deep and vivid emotions about many things in life, including joy, exhaustion, anger, disgust, sorrow, compassion, frustration, agony, empathy, and forgiveness. Jesus responded to his emotions rather than unconsciously reacting to them. He was patient, respectful, and intentional in his actions and interactions, behaving in alignment with his values.

Jesus lived by faith and confident trust in God, and he demonstrated the full range of human emotions, expressing them in perfect love. By understanding and embracing our emotions, we can follow Jesus' example and live a life that reflects our true selves and values.

Characteristics Values
Joy At pleasing God the Father
Exhaustion From the demands of ministry
Anger At the hypocrisy of the religious
Disgust At greed, racism, and oppression of the poor
Sorrow At the ravages of sin and death
Compassion For the lost and downtrodden
Frustration At slow learners and their lack of faith
Agony At impending suffering
Empathy For the pain of others
Forgiveness In the face of betrayal

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Jesus' emotional intelligence

Jesus's emotional intelligence is a topic that has been explored in Christian texts and leadership guides. Jesus is described as a "feeler" who experienced a wide range of emotions, including anxiety, anger, shame, sadness, pain, surprise, hope, faith, love, joy, and peace. He also demonstrated key traits of emotional intelligence, including self-awareness, empathy, assertiveness, and optimism—key traits of emotional intelligence.

Jesus's ability to relate to a diverse array of people, including his disciples, the sick, and sinners, showcases his emotional intelligence. He was able to build trust, foster teamwork, and provide effective pastoral care. Jesus's emotional intelligence is also seen in his ability to manage stress, even in the face of his impending death on the cross.

Jesus's emotional intelligence provides valuable lessons for religious leaders and congregations today. By understanding and applying these principles, leaders can enhance their relationships and leadership effectiveness. Jesus's example teaches us that emotional intelligence is crucial for thriving congregations and effective ministry.

Jesus's emotional intelligence is a powerful demonstration of how to lead with empathy, compassion, and grace. His ability to feel and express a full range of emotions, coupled with his perfect love, makes him a unique and inspiring leader.

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Jesus' empathy

Jesus is described as a saviour who empathises with his followers. He is said to have experienced a wide range of emotions, including anxiety, anger, shame, sadness, pain, surprise, hope, faith, love, joy, and peace. Jesus is believed to have endured these emotions so that he would intimately know what it is like to be human.

Hebrews 4:15 describes Jesus as someone who can empathise with his followers:

> "This high priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin."

Author Brené Brown argues that empathy extends beyond sympathy, as it moves beyond feeling to action. She suggests that empathy is a choice to share in the pain of another, and that this choice always comes at a cost.

Jesus is said to have experienced every type of human frailty, test, and sorrow. He is believed to have been lonely, betrayed, and abandoned, and to have endured relentless temptation. Through his empathy, Jesus is thought to provide comfort and a bridge connecting fallen man to the heavenly Father.

Jesus is also believed to have demonstrated empathy through his healing acts. For example, in Luke 13:10-17, Jesus heals a woman who is "bent over" and "unable to stand up straight". Jesus is said to be moved by her suffering and takes the initiative to relieve it, showing great compassion.

In summary, Jesus is portrayed as an empathetic figure who understands and shares the emotions of his followers, providing comfort and support through his own experiences and actions.

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Jesus' frustration with slow learners

Jesus experienced a wide range of emotions during his time on Earth, and he was often frustrated by his disciples, who were slow to learn and understand his teachings.

Jesus' disciples were meant to carry forward his mission after his death, but they often misunderstood his lessons. For example, in Matthew 20:28, Jesus' disciples were vying for positions of importance and quarrelling over who among them was the greatest. They had witnessed his miracles in Galilee and saw themselves sitting on thrones when he was proclaimed the messiah in Jerusalem. However, Jesus tried to prepare them for the rejection and suffering he would face, but they ignored his predictions.

Jesus knew that his fate in Jerusalem was to be mocked, scourged, and crucified. He chose his disciples to spread his message after his death, but they failed to understand his teachings. Instead, they were more concerned with their personal glory and gaining power and control.

Another example of the disciples' slow learning is seen in their reaction to a storm while sailing with Jesus. A furious squall came up, and the boat was nearly swamped. The disciples woke Jesus, who was sleeping, and asked him: "Teacher, don't you care if we drown?" Jesus rebuked the wind and calmed the waves, and then gently chided his disciples for their lack of faith. They were terrified and still did not fully understand who he was, even after witnessing his miracles.

Jesus was patient with his disciples' doubts and gently guided them towards a deeper understanding of his identity and mission. He knew that learning was a process and that they would make mistakes along the way. However, their slow learning and quarrelling over power must have been a source of frustration for him, especially as he knew they would soon face his abandonment, betrayal, and denial.

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Jesus' anger at hypocrisy

Jesus experienced a wide range of emotions, including anger. He expressed anger at the Pharisees, who opposed him healing a man on the Sabbath (Mark 3:5). He also felt "boiling passion" (John 2:17), indignation (Mark 10:14), and stern displeasure (John 11:33, 38).

Jesus's anger at hypocrisy is well-documented in the Bible. The word "hypocrite" comes from the Greek word for "play actor", referring to someone who wears a mask to pretend to be something they are not. In Matthew 23, Jesus condemns the hypocrisy of the Jewish leaders and Pharisees, whom he calls "whitewashed tombs" (Matthew 23:27) and a "brood of vipers" (Matthew 23:33). He accuses them of being more concerned with external appearances of righteousness than with true inner transformation (Matthew 23:25-26).

Jesus's anger at hypocrisy is also evident in the Sermon on the Mount. He tells his followers not to be prideful and self-righteous when criticizing others, but to first address their own shortcomings (Matthew 7:3-5). He emphasizes the importance of "justice, mercy, and faithfulness" over a perfection based on faulty standards (Matthew 23:23).

Jesus's anger at hypocrisy stems from his desire for genuine faith and love for God and others. He calls out those who claim to love God yet fail to love their brothers and sisters (1 John 2:9). He condemns those who honor God with their lips but whose hearts are far from him (Isaiah 29:13, Matthew 15:8-9). True righteousness, according to Jesus, comes from an inner transformation by the Holy Spirit, not external conformity to rules (Matthew 23:25; 2 Corinthians 3:8).

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Jesus' joy in obedience

Jesus experienced a wide range of emotions, including joy. He was joyful when he saw that 72 ordinary disciples were able to minister the power of God's kingdom to people (Luke 10:21). He also felt gladness (John 15:11; 17:13) and thankfulness (Matthew 11:25).

The Bible also mentions the joy that comes from obedience to God. King Hezekiah's story in 2 Chronicles 30 is an example of this. Hezekiah obeyed God's commandments and, as a result, the people of Judah and Israel came together to celebrate Passover in a joyful and unified way.

The psalmist links obedience to joy in Psalm 119:14a NLT, saying, "I have rejoiced in your laws as much as in riches." This suggests that joy can be found in obeying God and following His guidance.

However, it is important to note that emotions should not be the basis of our faith or our confidence. Our faith should rest on God, even in the midst of intense emotions. Jesus himself experienced a range of emotions but always obeyed God's commands (Matthew 26:36-46).

In conclusion, Jesus experienced joy and his obedience to God brought him and others joy. Christians can find joy in obeying God and following His guidance, but their faith should not be dependent on their emotional state.

Frequently asked questions

Jesus lived by faith in God, showing us how to do it. Paul says in Galatians 2:21, "I live by the faith of Christ."

Jesus experienced emotions without flying off the handle or ranting. He deliberately chose his next steps. He responded to his emotions rather than unconsciously reacting to them.

Jesus openly wept (John 11:35, 13:25), felt deep compassion for people (Mark 3:5), and displayed righteous anger (Mark 3:5).

Jesus felt anger towards the hypocrisy of the religious elite of his day, such as the Pharisees who opposed him healing on the Sabbath (Mark 3:5). He also felt anger towards the money changers in the temple who were financially oppressing those wishing to honour God (John 2:13-17).

We can follow Jesus' example of responding to our emotions rather than reacting to them. We can also bring our emotions to God in prayer, as instructed in Philippians 4:6-7, and cast down negative emotions in favour of following Jesus' leadership (2 Corinthians 10:5).

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