"Feelings...Nothing More Than Feelings..."

Yeah, we've all run into it. It's that large, tall, looming wall of emotional distress that we end up walking blindly into from time to time. And based on how hard we run into this wall, and what kind of emotional shape we're in, determines how we are going to react to it. Is it too tall to climb? Is there a hole or a crack that I can just seem to slip through? OR can I just charge through it like the Juggernaut!? Whatever the case may be, you and I have a weighty challenge before us. There is a world of diversity out there before us that calls us to think about our choices and not just react.

"Luke, trust your feelings! Although, if I had trusted mine, your dad would have turned out better... sorry :("

If you are anything like me, then I bet you use your emotions all the time to dictate to you what to do. When faced with challenges, we will often check and see what our emotional thermometer is hinting at and do what it is telling us to do. C'mon, that's what we've all been taught to do, right? In the immortal words of Obi-Wan Kenobi, "Trust your feelings." But can you really trust them? Do my feelings tell me to do what is right?

You see, in there is the problem! If we start running down that road, then we are basically saying that whatever your feelings are telling you to do, you should trust them. Yeah, and if we all did that, I bet the roads would look like the "Road Warrior". Can I get an Amen from all you Road Ragers!?

Here's a saying that I have heard lately and have been battling myself—"Hey man, I just ain't feelin’ it." I get what you are saying, but is it the right way to go about things? If this was the sentiment of our grandparents growing up, then our country would definitely not be where it is today ... free. And as soon as we "ain't feelin’ it", we go to our Facebook friends and make a statement or a post on our wall. Then, just like our democratic society likes to weigh in on everything, we wait to see how many “likes” we get on a comment to determine if we were right or not. Seriously!? That's like rolling loaded dice and betting against yourself!

Let me just offer an alternative to this common Westernized way of thinking that we have fallen into. This is coming from a guy who decided not to listen to his emotional thermometer, well at least when it came to doing things he didn't want to do. He was a traveling salesman of sorts, and everywhere he went he encountered the worst in human nature. He was selling the best product in the world and during his travels he was beaten several times within inches of his life. He actually died writing about his encounters battling feelings of strong emotions that threatened to overtake him while he was in prison waiting for his execution. Take a listen from one of his letter to some friends:

5 We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ,

You see, when encountered with information coming into us, there are two ways to look at it—through our earthly eyes or through the eyes of God. God sees the things we can't see and tells us how to interpret our troubles through his scriptures. If you want to check out this passage to see what I am talking about, flip to 2 Corinthians 10.

This guy's name was Paul. He's actually stating that when confronted with feelings, take a look at the thought that is making you feel a certain way. Then based on your relationship with God, hold it up to what He thinks and then determine what to do with it.

Not dealing with our emotions in the end will have you revisiting them over and over again. Do yourself a favor—when faced with strong feelings, before reacting, try praying...

And if you would say, "God isn't my cup of tea," then I would say, "I'm not feeling that." :)

Shalom!