Divine Union

Chapter 18 

This past week has been what seemed like an emotional roller coaster ride for me. Hopefully, I am coming back into the platform and can walk down the ramp to the solid ground alongside the tracks. A few weeks back my doctor prescribed a new medication to help with elevated cholesterol (this is my 6th or 7th attempt at finding an effective drug). Each medication prior to this adversely affected me physically; this one however seems to have wreaked havoc with me emotionally. Finally realizing the connection, I googled the side effects and read, “may cause sadness, anxiety, and irritability.” It listed many more potential side effects, but those three stood out as I was feeling their full weight. Thankfully, after a few days of not taking the medicine, I feel more comfortable in my skin. 

On Sunday I asked the elders to pray over me. As they did, I had a thought: “The pain in your joints were heightened by the medicine. Is it possible that the sadness, anxiety, and anger were present before but were also because of the medicine?”. I confessed to the elders that deep down below the surface, where most people can’t see, I control/manage these emotions. I told them that I would appreciate their prayers in overcoming these areas of struggle in my life. 

What does this have to do with chapter eighteen’s theme of “Divine Union” in Hannah Whitall Smith’s book? Smith shares how “feelings” are not reliable indicators of our true reality with God through Jesus empowered by the Holy Spirit. I can feel happy, secure and peaceful on the surface when I manage my emotions. We can feel all of the positive emotions when life gives us lemon-aid in place of lemons. There will be times in this life when we come face-to-face with the enemy of our soul or when we wallow in the sin of our own life and then experience a deep sadness that is unshakable. We also, like the apostle Paul, can feel the uncomfortableness of a trial and yet tell of the unspeakable joy that overflows our hearts. Point is, feelings are unreliable gauges of our reality in Jesus. In this chapter, Smith warns us to not put too much stock in our feelings but rather focus on the reality of biblical truth and the changed character we experience because of it. 

After reading this chapter last night I shared this tweet: 

“Our feelings influence attitudes that can cause others to question our Christian sincerity. John, through the words of Jesus, encourages us (John 10:37–38) to focus on One’s service as proof of faith. … Would you pray that through our good works Christ would even transform our attitudes and feelings to glorify the Father.” 

My take-away from the chapter and my past week’s trial is: As we are on journey with Christ, make a point of surrendering our will by leaning in and engaging with what we know is the Father’s will—do His good works—and His Spirit will transform our attitudes and feelings to His liking. 

You may find a slightly different take-away as you read the chapter and are led by the Holy Spirit in your personal journey. Find a Christian brother or sister, have a conversation, and share what the Lord is teaching you. 

Thoughts and Questions for Interaction 

• How would you explain Smith’s statement that our “union with Christ is not a matter of emotions, but of character”?

• If we follow the author’s advice, 

“…lay down [your] life that His life may be lived in [you]; have no interests but His interests, to share His riches, to enter into His joys, to partake of His sorrows, to manifest His likeness, to have the same mind as He had, to think and feel and act and walk as He did”,  

what stops our journey from becoming a demonstration of DOING rather than a process of BECOMING who He desires us to be? 

• How does (or should) the belief of the indwelling Holy Spirit impact us to live differently?