"But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord." James 1:6-7
I recently heard a podcast interview between a well-known psychologist and his patient. The patient struggled with binge-eating disorder and this counselor sought to help the woman overcome her addiction. As I listened to the conversation, I was struck by a statement that the psychologist frequently uses with his patients- "feelings aren't facts!" The counselor had the woman repeat this phrase out loud several times and then instructed her to say it (but more importantly internalize it) whenever she felt the urge to binge. This mantra, said he, was one of the slogans that helped him differentiate between what was true and what was a lie which in turn helped him defeat his previous food addiction. Listening to this conversation made me realize how much this applies to the Christian life. If we walk with God long enough, we will encounter times where our feelings will strongly oppose the Word of God. It is especially important that during these times, we allow the leading of the Spirit and God's Word to guide us and not our feelings.
Our emotions are fickle; God's Word is firm.
Have you ever been on a roller coaster? The emotions you feel while riding it can change by the second. Feelings of excitement and joy can be quickly overcome by suspense and fear as you encounter slow uphill climbs and rapid falls. Roller coasters produce a wide range of emotions and hardly any of them lasts more than a few seconds before you encounter another. The same can be said of our lives at times. A great day can quickly take a turn for the worst by a simple phone call. Our feelings, like the roller coaster ride, are ever changing. This is one of the reasons why the Scriptures are to be foundational in our lives. Jesus taught the disciples this lesson in Matthew 7:24-27, a story which we commonly refer to as The Wise and Foolish Builders. It says, "Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash." Jesus taught the all important lesson of not only hearing His Word but also applying it to our lives. This seems like a good idea until the day we realize that acting on God's Word isn't always comfortable to what we feel. In fact, many times God calls us to act contrary to our emotions and in spite of them. Joseph quickly learned this lesson. Sold into slavery by his brothers, wrongly accused by his master, and thrown into prison, Joseph learned that if he was to attain the promises of God for his life he would have to put his feelings aside and trust God's Word. From Joseph's perspective, everything in his life seemed contrary to the magnificent promises God made to him as a teenager yet as Joseph continued to trust God (His person and nature), he learned how to silence his emotions. But our emotions are not only ever changing, they are also vicious traitors which can hinder us from reaching the promises of God.
Emotions betray, God's presence sustains.
Many Christ and non-Christ followers have heard the Gospel message. Jesus came on the Earth as a man lived a sinless life, died on a cross for our sins, then He rose up from the grave to sit at the right hand of the Father in Heaven. This is the story that all of us have heard countless times. What many of us do not stop and analyze is the agony the Son of God faced while in Gethsemane. Jesus said in John 6:38, "For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me." When on the Earth, Jesus knew exactly what His mission was- to save humanity from the punishment the Law required by sacrificing Himself in our stead. Even though Jesus (being 100% God as well as man) knew what His mission was here on Earth, the garden of Gethsemane shows us the struggle he faced as his flesh and emotions battled with what He knew to be the Father's will for Him. As His death grew nearer and nearer, Jesus agonized about His impending suffering with this prayer: "Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me..." (Luke 22:42) Jesus, who is God in the flesh, wrestled with His emotions before going to the cross. I cannot even imagine what He must have felt in that moment. So intense was his aversion towards the cross that even His very sweat became blood (Luke 22:44). Yet Jesus did something remarkable that many of us fail to do- submit our will to God in prayer. Jesus did not only say "take this cup from me" but He immediately followed it with "yet not my will, but yours be done." Had Jesus not submitted His feelings to the Father, those same seemingly innocent and human emotions would have hindered Him from going to the cross! The fear and dread He felt of dying on that cross could have been the very thing that kept Him from fulfilling God's plan and His purpose. In periods of suffering, feelings will quickly betray us into disobedience. Yet knowing this beforehand, we will be able to recognize the signs of undisciplined emotions and run to the Father who can give us "grace to help in time of need" (Heb 4:16).
Emotions make us subjective; God's Word allows us to be objective.
When we allow our emotions to rule our lives, we will soon find that we are unable to do anything significant or great for God. So many of the accomplishments or things we want in our lives are not void of difficulty. Think of individuals who train for the Olympics, win Nobel prizes, or accomplish great feats in this life. I can almost guarantee you that at some point in their journey they had to make the decision that their end goal mattered more than their personal feelings. So must we. The Christian life is full of paradoxes- better to give than to receive, do good to them that hate you, and praising God when all seems lost to name a few. Our emotions do not line up with any of these commands. Yet if we are to experience growth and true fulfillment in our walk with God, our feelings must take a back seat to God's Word. King David experienced this after the tragedy at Ziklag. The story found in 1 Samuel 30 tells us that after David and his men left the camp, the Amalekites destroyed everything they owned burning the camp and taking the women and children hostage with them. When David and his army returned, they found their situation to be utterly hopeless. Everything was lost. David and his men experienced such immense pain that they "wept aloud until they had no strength left to weep" (vs 4). Not only had they lost material possessions but also the lives of their loved ones. Soon grief turned into rage as the army "talked of stoning" David (vs 6). The situation went from bad to worse. Yet instead of focusing on what he'd lost, the pain he felt, and his own safety, David did what was contrary to his emotions but in line with the Scriptures...David sought God. Verse 6 tells us "David encouraged himself in the Lord his God." David went against the current of his bitter emotions and chose what was right though it was hard! David was not exempt from feeling the pain of loss yet he chose (it's a decision we make) to trust, believe, and worship God in spite of his own inner turmoil. Ultimately as David chose to seek God, in the midst of chaos, the Lord gave him and his army a great victory until "David recovered all" (vs 19). Through David's suffering and ultimate victory, we are able to see what God can accomplish through us when we allow His Words to take precedence over our feelings.
Closing Thoughts...
Dear tried and tested reader, God is not unaware nor untouched by our pain. Psalm 34:18 says "The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit." God is with us even in the midst of suffering. Our feelings and pain matter deeply to Him. Yet, as hard as it may be, we will undoubtedly face times where the sadness, frustration, and even anger that we feel must be silenced to make room for the goodness of God. Jesus never once promised us a life void of storms and fiery trials, yet He does promise to be with us regardless of how hot the furnace may get. As you face suffering today, look to the very character and nature of our Heavenly Father and may His very being clothe you with a love you did not know. He loves, is with you and will never forsake you!
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