Emotionally Healthy Discipleship: Moving from Shallow Christianity to Deep Transformation

by Peter Scazzero

The Jesus I worshiped was very much God and very little a human being. I somehow missed the stories that revealed how Jesus freely expressed his emotions without shame. He shed tears (Luke 19:41). He grieved (Mark 14:34). He was angry (Mark 3:5). He felt compassion (Luke 7:13). He showed astonishment and wonder (Luke 7:9).

Receiving God’s gift of limits rather than fighting, ignoring, or denying them. • Discerning and embracing the season in which God has placed me.

Spiritual leaders who lacked discretion were considered dangerous because they unknowingly gave people burdens they could not bear, and offered superficial or misguided spiritual counsel.

Discretion is the practice of waiting with prayerful expectation to see what unfolds. It

The problem is that most of us resent limits—in ourselves and in others. We expect far too much from ourselves and often live frustrated, disappointed, or even angry lives as a result. In fact, much of burnout is a result of giving what we do not possess.