Funk

Life is not fun when funk messes with our head.
What is funk? Webster’s Dictionary defines funk as “a depressed state of mind, a paralyzing fear, to become frightened, shrink back, dread, to shrink from undertaking or facing.”
I understand that definition. I have been there and done that. Multiple times throughout my life. You probably have too.
Bottom line: Funk is an emotional, mental and spiritual fog that makes it almost impossible to see life clearly. It’s like driving our cars on the highway semi-blindly making our way through dense fog. Funk casts shades of gray and even black shadows over our thinking.
Funk throws us into an emotional tailspin.
Emotionally we get stuck in a rut of confusion, anxiety, fear and paralysis of action, spawning uncertainty and dread about the future. Funky stuff hangs over you and me like a hangover that alcoholic beverage drinkers experience when imbibing too much.
Funk can last a few minutes, a few hours or a few days. The longer funk calls the shots the harder it is to escape its grip. A friend and prayer partner of mine help each other through funk when it strikes. We laugh when we see how the enemy has “funked” us.
I do not like funk. That is an understatement for sure. Hating funk would be more accurate.
When I am “funking”, the enemy of my soul hammers me with darkness. Clobbers me with clouds of doubt and unbelief. Reminds me of past, painful heartaches and lies to me about the future. I find myself caught up in mental traps that have me spinning my emotional wheels over and over again. Riding a merry-go-round that I cannot get off. I think the worst not the best. My faith fades into the sunset of funk. Funk leaves me drained and having to regroup my faith and perspective.    
Common Causes Of Funk

• Disappointment and discouragement. Something or someone has let you down.
• Depression/sadness/loss. Dark clouds of funky despair hover over our grief.
• Setbacks. Funk painfully reminds us of our flops, failures and fumbles.
• Being anxious. Worried. Confused. Troublesome and fearful thoughts and scenarios.
• Negative memories. Hurtful, painful thoughts of the past haunt and harass us.
• Unresolved issues. Stuff that matters is not getting better. Funk pounces on stuck.
• Wondering where God is in the funk. Why is this happening? For what reason

Characteristics of Funk

1. Funk attacks occur especially late at night and early in the morning when we are alone. The devil does not want us to rest peacefully through the night… and he serves you and me some funk with breakfast. Starting our day under a cloud of funk is not the way God would have us live the day He has graciously given for His glory and our good.
2. Funk is a demonic cloud of unholy junk that has no place in my life. Funk forces us to focus on everything that is contrary to our Holy God and the holy, joyful life He has called us to.
3. Funk is temporary. It does have a lifespan. How short or long is up to our response to funk. Funk is more than happy to hang over us for as long as we tolerate it.

4.  People throughout the Old and New Testament experienced moments and seasons of funk. Study the Word. You will find the spirit of funk has always been alive and well even in the best of folks. For example, King David battled funk numerous times and won the fight through faith in the Lord.
I wish I had a Funk Repellant I could spray on my brain before funk overshadows me. Neither you nor I do, so, let us look at some funk busters.
FUNK BUSTERS

• Identify funk. Define it. Call it what it is. Call it out from the shadows.
• Rebuke funk in the name of Jesus. Funk has no power over those who stand firm in faith in Christ. The Lord Jesus is the funk buster!
• Tell Satan to get the funk out of here. Take your darkness down the road evil one. Not welcome here.
• Ignore funk. Do not give it power it does not have by dwelling on it.
• Share your funk with someone you trust. Receive their counsel. Christians need each other when funk comes knocking on the door or their mind and hearts.
• Shake funk off with the Word of God. Know the Word. Speak the Word over funk. It must go when you and I wield the sword of the Spirit!
• Funk flees when we stand against it with the joy of Jesus. Jesus’ joy is a mighty funk buster!!!! Give the depression a knock-out punch with Jesus’ joy.
• Get up. Get out. Do something constructive and productive. Do not let funk paralyze you.
• While feeling funky, help someone over their funk. In Jesus’ name serve someone who is experiencing a challenging time and cannot pay you back for your service.
• Remember Christians have the mind of Christ (I Corinthians 2:16). Think God’s thoughts. They are in the Bible. Choose to walk in God’s peace, joy and strength each day. Leave no space or place in your head for funk to land.
• Natural fog is temporary. Eventually the sunshine breaks through, scattering the fog. So it is with mental/emotional/spiritual funk. Foggy funk is scattered by the light of Christ!

Faith in the light of the world (Jesus) overcomes funk’s dark shadow from Satan.
The joy of the Lord is a great antidote for funk.
“And He brought His people out with joy, His chosen ones with a joyful shout!” Psalm 105:3
“The Lord is a victorious warrior, He will exult over you with joy; He will quiet in His love, He will rejoice over you with shouts of joy” Zephaniah 3:17
”Therefore, you too now have sorrow; but I will see you again, and your heart will rejoice, and no one takes your joy away from you.” Matthew 16:22
A Word For Your Week: Funk is not our friend. Tell it to take a long, long hike back to hell where it belongs!