Don't Follow Your Feelings
"Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight." (Proverbs 3:5-6)
Dear Friends,
As always, even when we are faced with uncertainty or led by our own emotions, the Word of God is crystal clear – we would be happier and less anxious if we would only just remember this simple truth! But in reality, it’s not that easy, is it?
That’s OK. We are not perfect beings and God does not expect us to be perfect. It’s natural and normal to experience emotional “highs” and “lows” during the course of the day and over our lifetimes. God tells us over and over that we should remember Him in all things and be thankful without ceasing. We can surely do that during an emotional “high” but it’s pretty tough during an emotional “low.”
That’s when we need to remember His Truth most of all.
If we remember that God’s word is solid, we won’t fall prey to our fluctuating emotions, especially when they are negative or cause us stress. How many times have we been in the midst of a seemingly insurmountable, unsolvable, and terribly troubling situation and (naturally) become anxious about it, only to finally see that God has stepped in to resolve the situation with a good and positive outcome?
As I blogged a couple of weeks ago, relying on our feelings to determine our thoughts, words and actions can be unproductive, wasted energy that changes nothing. It can also lead us to do and say things that do not demonstrate of our faith in God (for instance, many people who let their feelings of fear and greed dictate their actions contributed to the broader economic uncertainty and financial downturn).
So I ask you again to ask yourself this question: "Do I trust God, or don't I?"
Put your faith in the integrity of God, not in a feeling; if you don’t, you are essentially saying that what you see and feel are more dependable than Almighty God. Scripture tells us our feelings are not more dependable than God’s Word. In retrospect, my experiences tell me the same thing! When has your trust in God trumped your trust in your feelings? Share your story and inspire others.
Blessings,
Ron
"Your feelings are real, but they might not be telling you the truth," is a very powerful statement.
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There is an aviation analogy for this lesson: When flying in the clouds, the pilot knows that his "feelings are real but they are not necessarily telling the truth." The pilot must instead rely on his instruments for safe orientation, just as we must rely on God's word for the truth that will get us through life's turbulence.
Thanks for these timely messages.
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have been looking for a job since being let go in June--after 3 interviews, yesterday found out did not get the job---thanks, Ron and the Holy Spirit, for reminding me of the Truth which is what does God's word say about my future?
There are many verses in the Bible as well as mighty men of God that had to completely trust the Lord for direction in their lives. That is where I am and needed this teaching.
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