God > Hormones

Confession: this week, I’ve had a BAD attitude. Some call it cranky, sleepy, irritable- but let’s be real. My emotions shouldn’t control me, so I have to stop using euphemisms for my sin. I have been fighting against a bad attitude for almost a full week now. It has affected my mood, my demeanor, my thoughts, and my motives. I have had to frequently just leave the room disengage from a conversation simply because my attitude was preventing me from contributing to a situation- anything that I would have said would have been discouraging.


That is not how the Lord instructs us to live. His Word tells us to have the same attitude as Christ (Phil. 2:5). That has been a convicting verse for me this week. I have NOT had the attitude of Jesus; my attitude has been closer to the enemy’s- out to steal, kill, and destroy. You know what I’m talking about- those days where you are just cranky and out to bring the world down with you? Your thoughts are not Christ-exalting, encouraging, edifying, or beneficial; they are hateful, hurtful, and focused on me.

So today, I had a long over-due Jesus moment. I got to work early, so I parked in a random neighborhood, turned on the Christmas music, and got in to the Word. The Lord graciously provided 2 Corinthians 4 and 5 for me to chew on this morning. This passage reminds us that we have treasures (the Good News) stored in a jar of clay to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us (4:7). I had been frustrated all morning with my attitude. I wanted to get over it and joyfully serve the Lord and encourage His people with all sincerity. I’ve been serving still, but my heart has not been as encouraged by it. It was quickly becoming a to-do list instead of ministering to me and overflowing from affection for the Lord.

Then I stumbled upon this verse. Frustrated in my own weakness, the Lord reminded me that this body- these hormones that so frequently alter my mood and attitude for the day- is merely a jar of clay. It’s a common vessel. But in those days, the most priceless treasures were hidden in common vessels, where you would least expect it. I have this treasure. Yet my jar is plain, and it is fragile. Yet in its fragility, it points to the strength of the Lord. I would break under the strain if it weren’t for the sustaining power and affection of the Lord! Paul says it best when he states “it is in my weakness that the power of Christ is made perfect; therefore I will BOAST all the more gladly in my weaknesses.”

I am susceptible to sin. Often, I still behave as though I’m enslaved to it. But I have been set free by a Mighty Redeemer- and His blood is more powerful than my emotions. When I don’t want to trust the God I feel, I must trust the God I know.