Is the lack of emotions a sin? Or is it a sign of not having the love of Christ?
I would like to think, and hope that it is neither a sin or a sign, but rather just part of who I am. I mean, just because I am not possessed to cry when I read a deep scripture or here a convincting message that punches me in the gut does not mean that I am not move dby that scripture or message. I just don't hardly ever feel tears coming when I hear these things.
Don't get me wrong. I understand that brokenness is a very appropriate response to sin, but I do believe you can be broken and not cry. I believe this because I have been broken time and time again and have not shed a tear. I trembled at the thought of the wrath of God, and I rejoiced in the thought of His love and forgiveness.....
but I did not cry.
Does this make me stone-hearted?
I do not think so.
My heart aches for the lost, and I am saddened at the sin in this world. I am angered when God's word is misquoted, and when horrible and evil deeds of satan are done in general but especially in His holy name. I love my family and friends. I am learning to love my enemies.
But I don't cry.
I question this because it seems that crying is seen as a sign of brokenness, and brokenness is a sign of salvation. So if I never cry, does it mean I am never broken?
Once again, I do not think so because I have experienced brokenness. I continue to experience it.
So, I ask again, can you be broken without being emotional on the outside?
Is your heart still a heart of flesh? Or is it personal deception? I've prayed for the answer and so far it seems perfectly ok to me to not cry. Yes, grieve...but not necessarily cry.
These are just my thoughts though, and I am a flawed man.
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Thus says the Lord: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches,but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.” - Jeremiah 9:23-24
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1 comments:
You are correct.
I'm going to point you back to Spurgeon - Morning June 28 reading here: http://www.heartlight.org/spurgeon/0628-am.html
The words of the 1689 on assurance of grace & salvation: http://www.founders.org/library/bcf/bcf-18.html
And finally Spurgeon again, from "All of Grace" Chapter 11, "Alas! I Can Do Nothing!" :
I hear another man cry, "Oh, sir my want of strength lies mainly in this, that I cannot repent sufficiently!" A curious idea men have of what repentance is! Many fancy that so many tears are to be shed, and so many groans are to be heaved, and so much despair is to be endured. Whence comes this unreasonable notion? Unbelief and despair are sins, and therefore I do not see how they can be constituent elements of acceptable repentance; yet there are many who regard them as necessary parts of true Christian experience. They are in great error. Still, I know what they mean, for in the days of my darkness I used to feel in the same way. I desired to repent, but I thought that I could not do it, and yet all the while I was repenting. Odd as it may sound, I felt that I could not feel. I used to get into a corner and weep, because I could not weep; and I fell into bitter sorrow because I could not sorrow for sin. What a jumble it all is when in our unbelieving state we begin to judge our own condition! It is like a blind man looking at his own eyes. My heart was melted within me for fear, because I thought that my heart was as hard as an adamant stone. My heart was broken to think that it would not break. Now I can see that I was exhibiting the very thing which I thought I did not possess; but then I knew not where I was.
Oh that I could help others into the light which I now enjoy! Fain would I say a word which might shorten the time of their bewilderment. I would say a few plain words, and pray "the Comforter" to apply them to the heart.
Remember that the man who truly repents is never satisfied with his own repentance. We can no more repent perfectly than we can live perfectly. However pure our tears, there will always be some dirt in them: there will be something to be repented of even in our best repentance. But listen! To repent is to change your mind about sin, and Christ, and all the great things of God. There is sorrow implied in this; but the main point is the turning of the heart from sin to Christ. If there be this turning, you have the essence of true repentance, even though no alarm and no despair should ever have cast their shadow upon your mind.
If you cannot repent as you would, it will greatly aid you to do so if you will firmly believe that "in due time Christ died for the ungodly. " ...Surely the cross is that wonder-working rod which can bring water out of a rock. If you understand the full meaning of the divine sacrifice of Jesus, you must repent of ever having been opposed to One who is so full of love. It is written, "They shall look upon him whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn." Repentance will not make you see Christ; but to see Christ will give you repentance. You may not make a Christ out of your repentance, but you must look for repentance to Christ. The Holy Ghost, by turning us to Christ, turns us from sin. Look away, then, from the effect to the cause, from your own repenting to the Lord Jesus, who is exalted on high to give repentance.
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