By Andrew Williams
Series: The Year of the Prophet- Month 1: The Anatomy of a Prophet
Week 3: The Prophet’s Relationship with God
Anchor Scripture: “Oh, that my head were waters, and my eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people!” — Jeremiah 9:1 (NKJV)
The Teaching
One of the most profound and often misunderstood aspects of the prophetic office is Divine Pathos. The word pathos refers to suffering, feeling, or emotion. While many people see the Prophet as a “cold” messenger of facts or future events, the Bible reveals that the Prophet is actually a person who has been given the capacity to feel what God feels.
Jeremiah is often called “the weeping prophet” not because he was naturally prone to sadness, but because he was experiencing the pathos of God. God was grieving over the rebellion of His people, and that grief was so heavy that it required a human heart to help carry it. The Prophet is an emotional bridge. When God is angry at injustice, the Prophet feels a holy indignation. When God is moved with compassion for the broken, the Prophet feels a deep, gut-wrenching empathy.
To be a Prophet is to lose the luxury of emotional detachment. You cannot just “deliver a word” like a news reporter; you deliver it as a participant in God’s internal state. This is why prophets often seem “intense,” “extreme,” or “burdened.” They are not just relaying a message; they are relaying a Heartbeat. They are the “sympathizers” of the Most High.
Prophetic Insight
If you find yourself experiencing sudden, intense emotions that don’t seem to match your personal circumstances, you may be experiencing Divine Pathos. You might be in a joyful setting and suddenly feel a wave of grief, or you might be in a quiet moment and feel a surge of divine zeal. This is a marker of the office: God is sharing His “inner life” with you. Your heart has become a sounding board for the emotions of Heaven. The key to maturity is learning to distinguish your own “soulish” emotions from the “Divine Pathos” of the Spirit. One drains you; the other, though heavy, carries the authority of the Lord.
The Activation
The next time you feel a strong spiritual emotion, don’t just react to it. Stop and ask the Holy Spirit: “Lord, is this me, or is this You? Are You allowing me to feel Your heart for this person or this situation?” If it is Him, ask Him what you should do with that feeling—should you weep in intercession, or should you speak a word of correction or comfort?
Daily Prayer: Lord God, I thank You that You are not a distant, unfeeling God. I thank You that You have a heart that can be moved. I yield my emotions to You today. Grant me the grace to carry Your ‘pathos.’ If You are grieving, let me weep with You. If You are rejoicing, let me laugh with You. Soften my heart so that I may feel what You feel and represent Your heart accurately to the world. Amen.
