Woe, Woe, Woe, Woe Feelings

Get OUT of Your Feelings!

It is not uncommon when correcting my children or telling them to do something that they will start telling me about their 'feelings'.  One of my more common responses is, "It is not about how you 'feel'." They must learn to move beyond their 'feelings'.

This is something even many adults don't understand because it goes directly against the philosophy of this world.  The world will tell you that 'feelings' convey deep spiritual truths about your condition which should be explored, evaluated, and heeded.  This is a deception.  Oftentimes, your feelings can be deceitful and work against your own well-being.

If I give in to the fact that I don't 'feel' like going to work, then I may very well may find myself out of a job.  If I don't 'feel' like cleaning the house, then it is likely we will be living in a pig's pen.  If I don't 'feel' like cooking, then my family may develop a substandard diet potentially causing obesity or poor health.  If I don't 'feel' like praying then I may find myself unaware of God's will for me that day.  If I don't 'feel' like studying the word, then I might find myself drifting away from the Lord and back into the flesh.  If we went by what we 'feel' then we probably wouldn't do 95% of what God wants us to do.

Yet, there are professing Christians who literally wallow in their feelings.  One minute they are up, they next they are down.  One moment they are hopeful, the next they are pessimistic.  Now they are emboldened for the Lord, but later they are filled with fear.  Not one time do they stop to think about the inspiration behind their feelings.  Instead they simply give in to their 'feelings' and conform their reality to them.

As a result, they live as if on an emotional roller coaster...and they expect you to go along for the ride!  Not me.  I'm not going to cater to someone's soulish, carnal (and maybe demonic) 'feelings'.  So don't come to me with your 'feelings' unless you have first considered how those feelings line up with the Spirit of God. Some might say, "That is cold."  I say that it is necessary, and it is how I approach even my own 'feelings'.

feelings: a general term for a subjective point of view or state of mind

Most people's 'feelings' revolve around themselves and their own self-perceptions & validations; it is self-idolatry.  Do "I" feel loved?  Have "my" feelings been hurt?  Am "I" accepted?  How are you treating "me"?  Yet for a Christian, the center of our world is not to be ourselves (including our own thoughts, perspectives, etc.); it is to be Christ.  Anything that does not line up with Christ is to be cast down, not entertained (II Corinthians 10:5). 

The thing to remember is this: Feelings are not legitimate just because you have them.   Your 'feelings' are not the standard of truth.  If we go through life being led by our feelings (as opposed to the Spirit of God), then we are pretty much laying our heads down on the guillotine and giving Satan permission to cut them off. 

I am not saying to have no feelings, that emotions are bad, or that we should callously disregard the feelings of others.  Like every other aspect of the Christian life, our 'feelings' need to be redeemed.  We must weigh whether feelings (our own or others) are from the Lord or not if we are to be led by the Spirit (Romans 8:14).   In his article on The Meaning of the Tabernacle, Pastor Zac Poonen says the following:

Our spiritual life does not depend on our feelings . We can be tempted to “feel” discouraged when things are not going as we expect around us. But we can set our will to praise God – (1) because God is “the Blessed Controller” of all things in this world (1 Tim.6:15-Paraphrase), (2) because Satan has been defeated on the cross, and (3) because God has promised to make all things work together for our good.

Even when our prayers are not answered, we can still praise God and refuse to live by our feelings . Only if we continue consistently along this way, will we become truly spiritual.

Obedience has nothing to do with 'feelings' and many times our will to obey will have to be set against what we 'feel'.  Jesus may not have 'felt' like going to the cross, but He disregarded that so as to do the Father's will (Matthew 26:36-45).  We likewise must do the same.  Unless our feelings are brought into subjection to the Father, then they are vain, idle, and will prevent us from doing God's will.

Fallen man goes by what he 'feels'; he is led by his carnal senses.  If it feels good, he does it.  However, the problem with following your heart is that the heart is desperately wicked (Jeremiah 17:9).  Don't be deceived by your heart, falsely believing that your truth is found in what you 'feel'.  The reality for a Christian is what is stated in the word of God.  If your thoughts or feelings are at odds with God's word, don't waste time dwelling on and evaluating them, cast them aside.  Make sure that you examine even what you feel by the Spirit so that you do not find yourself led into deception.  Push past how you feel to discover what is that good, acceptable, and perfect will of God.