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Did Jesus feel spiritual when He did miracles? 
Perhaps that's a bit of a funny question (not to mention, probably theologically unsound). 
I ask it for two reasons:

  1. For many years of my life, I assumed that in order for God to work powerfully or miraculously through me or my prayers, I needed to 'feel' spiritual in that moment in some way. 
  2. If this were true, does this then mean that God cannot move powerfully or miraculously in moments when we aren't quite as 'spiritual'? 

For decades of my life, I would read the gospels and observe Jesus healing people and doing other powerfully miraculous things. Sometimes it would say in scripture that He was 'moved by compassion." That seems pretty spiritual, I would think. I would sometimes wonder if He 'felt' the Spirit moving through Him in exciting (even tangible?) ways. He must have felt joy and peace surging through Him. And maybe He did many times. 
I was struck by something several years ago as I was reading Mark 3. 
My devotional reading this week brought me into Mark 3 again and reminded me of what shocked me the first time I realized it. 
Consider this: 
With a disabled man in front of Him and after addressing the critical thoughts of the Pharisees regarding healing on the Sabbath, Mark 3.5 says, "Jesus looked around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts, said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." He stretched it out, and his hand was completely restored."
Hmmm. 
Jesus performed a miracle while feeling angry and deeply distressed. 
Not the kind of prerequisite feelings I imagined for a miracle to occur.
Consider: 

  • In Mattew 14.12-14, Jesus had just heard the news that his cousin John had been martyred so Jesus withdrew to be with His Father only to be swarmed by another crowd AND Jesus heals many and then feeds thousands miraculously. 
  • In Luke 22.51, Jesus has been in anguishing prayer to the point of sweating blood, He is being falsely accused and is now being arrested by a group of heavily armed men AND He heals a man whose ear had been cut off in that moment.
  • In John 11.35 & 38, Jesus is weeping and deeply moved AND Lazarus is miraculously raised from the dead.  


Perhaps, according to us, these are not ideal moments with 'spiritual feelings' of joy, peace, and 'the surge of the Spirit.'
This encourages me. You and I don't have to 'feel spiritual' in some way to be used by God or to see God move powerfully and miraculously around us. 
When you feel depleted, discouraged, stressed or disqualified... ..God can work. 
He is not limited by our feelings. 
In 2 Corinthians 12.9, Jesus says, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." 
This is good news. 
No matter how we feel, we can reach out to God in prayer. He is ready to work graciously and powerfully. 
Shall we pray?
Pastor Mike