How Do You FEEL?
Truthfully... IT DOESN'T MATTER.
In this end time age so negatively affected by the world, we often don't even stop to consider the simple point:
How we "feel" isn't supposed to guide our actions.
We accidentally pull in front of someone in traffic and their reaction is anger toward us, gesturing, sitting on their horn, mouthing words we're glad we can't hear through the window, and we get angry in return. Maybe even worse, yelling or condemning them with our thoughts.
In any given day our feelings and emotions usually equal actions.
But is that right? Is that what God says to do?
When you think about Jesus and all that He did on this earth, you realize the awesome number of times (just listed in scripture) He chose to discount His own desires, feelings, hurt, anger and remorse.
In choosing not to follow His emotions, He chose to do right.
I have had many discussions concerning the error of being led by feelings, namely the emotion of guilt and there is really only one conclusion:
No matter how we are brought to Christ and what leads us to repent when we do wrong, We should still make the choice to follow Him based on the Word, not on our feelings.
We feel, therefore we act.
And I'm here to tell you, that just isn't right! We are not to be led by our feelings, but by the Word of Truth.
Some become concerned: If we don't allow feelings (especially guilt) to guide us, how will we know when we're wrong?
Right and wrong is defined in the Word of God.
It has nothing at all to do with how we feel about it. It is truth, and when we encounter the truth and the right/wrong of It, we have a choice to make: Choose right or wrong.
We choose right or wrong based on what the Word teaches, not based on our feelings about what is going on around us, or others' reactions.
Jesus made this right/wrong dilemma just about as simple as it can be when He stated the Royal Law,
The One Commandment: Love God, love others.
This is Agape love, which is our choice to DO unto others that which is right, as spelled out in the Word of God. This is NOT waiting until you feel that you love someone to treat them right.
Agape love is a choice to treat someone right because God says to, no matter how you feel. Often in spite of how you feel, because frankly, loving some people might never be a feeling!
So instead of being guided by a feeling of love toward someone, we choose to act right toward them because Jesus said to.
Instead of waiting to feel guilty about our action, we choose to do right and acknowledge when we are wrong - because God said to.
Feelings aren't usually a good guide anyway. As I've stated before, I grew up in a household of guilt. It wasn't based on anything in the Word of God, but rather on parents and what they wanted. Guilt was an emotion created by not being able to keep someone else happy, which is not in the word of God. In fact, many times Jesus didn't make others happy.
If He had lived His life in fear of making others upset, He would not have been very effective in His ministry.
We are not to be guided by our feelings, which may or may not be factual and are usually very changing, depending on what we think others want, our thoughts, past experiences, and others' reactions and attitudes toward us.
Depending on feelings to guide us is a house built on sand. It won't stand up to any storm, internal or otherwise.
Our rock is the Word of God. THAT is our true guide, and it is not dependent on how we feel about it. It simply IS.
| Deuteronomy 4:10 Remember the day you stood before the LORD your God at Horeb, when he said to me, "Assemble the people before me to hear my words so that they may learn to revere me as long as they live in the land and may teach them to their children." Jeremiah 35:13 Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Go and tell the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, Will ye not receive instruction to hearken to my words? saith the LORD. John 14:24 He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me. Deuteronomy 30:19 I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live, Isaiah 7:15 He shall eat curds and honey when he knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good. 1 Corinthians 2:13 And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual. Galatians 6:6 One who is taught the word must share all good things with the one who teaches. 2 Corinthians 7:10 For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death. |
