Thursday, January 4, 2018

Lamentations 2

My eyes fail with tears,
My heart is troubled;
My bile is poured on the ground
Because of the destruction of the daughter of my people,
Because the children and the infants
Faint in the streets of the city. v.11


Read chapter 2
I've realized lately that I get horrible stomach pains when I'm under stress or struggling with something.  I used to think only if I got headaches was a sign of stress, but know after understanding the gut more, I've realized that is where stress release and confirmed by doctors and scientific studies and results.  Jeremiah knew this already as we read hear in his lamenting while he's crying and feeling heartbroken that his bile is poured out on the ground.  He's referring to this horrible stress, sadness, destruction of Jerusalem and the wrath of God on Israel.  
Have you ever had a gallstone or kidney stone?  It's insanely painful.  I had a gallstone once and when was asked by the medics what my pain level was I said, "Well I've never had a baby so imagine that's worse, but this has got to be right up there!"  I learned afterwards more about gallstones and that it can be caused by a block of bile in your stomach and gallbladder.  When Jeremiah says his bile is poured on the ground I wonder if he's referring to the pain of that bile build up and had to pass stones? Today we talk about the heart as the seat of emotions for pain as that seems like a prettier image, but really it's the gut that is the core of our emotions which are effected by stress, hardship, depression, etc.  
Have you felt this pain before?  Literally or metaphorically?  How have you seen the effects (primarily or secondarily) in your gut when facing highly emotional situations or seasons?

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