Heart of Stone
Somewhere between playing cars and cowboys, a lot of boys learn that showing emotion is a sign of weakness. Whether it’s through upbringing or society’s pressures, they learn they need to be strong for the girls. I think this mentality slows them down. Guys need to forget this way of thinking. To all the guys reading this: throw this way of thinking out the window; when you are real and raw with the ladies, it makes us want to get to know you better.
I grew up in a house with three men (my Dad and two brothers) and somewhere between building forts and playing in the barn, I learned that I shouldn’t cry either. However, that is not a way to live, we show our true colors when let our emotions poke through our armor. For me that is easier said than done,
“And I will give you a new heart and a new spirit within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.”-Ezekiel 36:26 (ESV)
This morning I cried in awe of the power of God. In two unrelated Bible studies, God put this verse in front of me,
“Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”-Ephesians 3:20-21 (ESV)
I hope I never lose my awe for how God weaves unrelated things together. It brings tears to my eyes.
“You’ve kept track of my every toss and turn
through the sleepless nights,
Each tear entered in your ledger,
each ache written in your book.”
Psalm 56:8
My grandmother told me a piece of wisdom that I will pass on to you:
“Girls don’t need a reason to cry.”
Sometimes it’s easier to cry if you have a reason. There is a reason God did not give me a desire to be an actress because I can’t cry on cue. I will push down my emotions until someone gives me a hug, and then I’ll crumble.
In John 11:35, we are given a look into Jesus’ humanity. The shortest verse in sixty-six books of the Bible.
“Jesus wept.”
It’s easy for us to forget that he was completely man….not just God with human skin on. In that chapter, His friend, Lazarus, dies. Yes, Jesus goes on to raise him from the dead, but first He weeps for what was. It reads in verse 33,
“When Jesus saw her weeping and saw the other people wailing with her, a deep anger welled up within him,[a] and he was deeply troubled.”(ESV)
It’s easy to forget that Jesus knows every pain we feel. He knows the pain of having your friends abandon you. He knows what it feels like to walk through sticky situations. He hung on a cross between two criminals for all of us. I don’t think it gets any harder than that.
For me, I’ve found that singleness is a sticky situation to walk through. No matter what situation you are experiencing, Jesus understands the pain you feel, and He doesn’t for a minute underestimate that pain. Pain isn’t a punishment. Pain can be a platform. Look at the platform it created for Jesus. I’m not saying your singleness season or difficult times will be as big a platform as Jesus’ crucifixion, but it will be worth something. Your pain could bring about God’s best for you.
Why do you think that so many people, including Christians, try to hide uncomfortable emotions like sadness?
What have you learned from sharing your raw emotions with others and with God?
If you’re comfortable, please share in the comments below.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Mary Hannah Thomas - Hey y’all! I have a good ole Southern double name, Mary Hannah. I reside, in what I think is the best state in the south, Georgia; where sweet tea is an option at every restaurant and pecan pie is a necessity at any family gathering. I am just 27-year-old single gal, who is trying to find the path to get out this season of singleness. I love Jesus with my whole heart; I write to spread his name and fame through out the earth. Some fun facts about me: I’ve crossed the Boston Marathon finish line I love the smell of cut wood (it takes me back to my childhood) I’m down for a cup of coffee no matter the time I prefer dark chocolate over milk I would rather deal with cockroaches and/or spiders than ANTS! If you want to read more of my words check out my blog: tbdmlp.wordpress.com. I’ll leave the cockroach talk out!! 😉