Blah! Blah! Black Sheep
Do you ever feel like a social outcast? Maybe you’re the black sheep in your family, your workplace, or your church. Sometimes it’s fun being that person who thinks outside the box and makes people wonder, Where does she come up with this stuff? But other times, I’m left wondering why I’m such a misfit. (Can I confess to you that I’ve often sung the song “Why Am I Such a Misfit?” from the movie Rudolph, the Red-nosed Reindeer. I just thought you might want to know how utterly strange I can be.)
One of the areas I most often feel like a misfit—not to mention a hypocrite—is in my spiritual life. I write books and blogs about walking the Christian walk, yet I often feel like I’m limping, if not crawling myself. I teach about the peace and presence of God, yet sometimes I wonder if God hears my prayers at all and, if so, why He’s not answering them. I tell others they can trust God with every area of their lives, yet I fail to follow my own advice. Yes, as a child of God who should live a life of pure joy, I often find myself more in a state of “Blah!” What’s up with that?
Imagine my surprise when I discovered the black sheep family is far more extensive than I realized. Spiritual giants like Charles Spurgeon and Mother Theresa struggled with these same feelings. And here’s the thing. That’s precisely what they are—feelings. Could it be that the same feelings that tell me I’m not good enough are also responsible for the nagging notion that I must not love God enough because I keep messing up? Hmm.
You know, when it comes to the Bible, I can’t really think of any passages where God said I’m supposed to feel a certain way. There are things He’s told me to do and not do. There are actions and behaviors He’s told me to put away. But, as far as I can tell, He’s more concerned with obedience and faithfulness than He is with our feelings. Not that He doesn’t care about how we feel. Of course, He does. But feelings lie. They don’t tell the whole story. They are not accurate indicators of my standing with God or how He sees me. That’s why I need to lean not on my own understanding and instead trust in what the Bible says (Prov. 3:5-6).
Unlike my emotions, God never lies. He tells it like it is and speaks what we need to hear. And we can count on Him to never change. If He was with us yesterday, He’s with us today whether we feel His presence or not. If He came through for us last year, He’ll come through for us again because that’s just how faithful He is. No matter how I feel, I’m never alone. And no matter how much I feel like a misfit, God promises He loves me with an unending love. (Cue a massive sigh of relief!)
Feeling like a black sheep today? You’re not alone. Many of us think we don’t live up to this person or that person, but that’s just our feelings talking. Besides, other people are not the standard by which we should judge our lives. That’s certainly not what God looks at. Nope, He sees us (those of us who are saved) through the blood of His precious Son, Jesus. And somehow, a black sheep viewed through red blood appears white as snow. How crazy is that?
“He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?”