Day 1 — What Jesus Felt

“Jesus looked around at them with anger and sorrow at their hardness of heart. Then He said to the man, ‘Stretch out your hand.’ So he stretched it out, and it was restored.”

— Mark 3:5 (BSB)

Some guys think that being a man means not having feelings, or at least never showing them. Be tough. Don’t cry. Don’t let anything get to you. Just say “I’m fine,” even when you’re not.

But look at Jesus.

One Sabbath day, Jesus went into the synagogue. There was a man there with a shriveled, useless hand. And the religious leaders were watching Jesus closely, hoping He would heal the man so they could accuse Him of breaking the Sabbath rules. They cared more about their rules than about a hurting man.

So what did Jesus feel? Mark tells us: “Jesus looked around at them with anger and sorrow.” Two strong feelings at once! He was angry that they were so hard-hearted. And He was sad about it too.

Jesus is the strongest, bravest, most perfect man who ever lived. And He had feelings. Big ones.

In the Gospels, Jesus feels compassion for crowds of people. He feels joy. He feels sad enough to cry at His friend’s tomb. He feels so troubled in the garden before the cross that He asks His friends to stay and pray with Him. He feels love when He looks at people.

So here’s the truth: feelings are God’s idea. Having them doesn’t make you weak. It makes you human, made in the image of a God who feels.

But notice something else about Jesus. His feelings never made Him sin. He was angry, and He did something good with it: He healed the man. His feelings were real, but they didn’t take over.

That’s what this week is about. Not getting rid of your feelings, but learning what to do with them.

A good place to start is to name them. When something’s going on inside, try to put a word on it: I’m frustrated. I’m embarrassed. I’m nervous. I’m disappointed. I’m really happy. Just naming a feeling helps you understand it, and helps you decide what to do next.

Think about it: Have you ever heard that “real men don’t have feelings”? How does Jesus show that’s not true?

Try this: Three times today, stop and name what you’re feeling. Then tell God about it.

Dear Jesus, thank You that You understand feelings, because You felt them too. Help me not to hide my feelings or let them take over. Help me name them, bring them to You, and do something good with them, like You did. In Your name, Amen.