Fickle Feelings

Sometimes I get that little voice in my head that says, “This is not going to be a good thing. This isn’t going to work.” Or sometimes, I just get that feeling that things just aren’t going to go right. In either case, right then and there, I have a choice to make. Am I going to listen to those thoughts? Am I going to go by my feelings? Let me make it plain and simple…our feelings are fickle! We just can’t afford to go by our feelings, because our feelings can deceive us. Most of the time, our feelings come from our fleshly side, and we want what we want when we want it!

I had a situation where I felt like someone didn’t like me, and I felt like they didn’t value what I brought to the table. But it all stemmed from a “feeling” that I had when I was around this person. And the feeling stemmed from thoughts that were coming into my head that I believed. If I could have tried this person in court for the way I felt, my case never would have made it because I had no conclusive evidence that this person didn’t like me or value what I offered. It was all in my head! At least until I hear something to the contrary from that person directly, I have no grounds to accuse them. Aren’t we supposed to treat others as innocent until proven guilty? That’s not what I was doing when I acted on my feelings.

Do you find that your feelings get hurt easily? Or perhaps you’re living by how you feel instead of what the facts are. Are negative thoughts coming into your mind? Then maybe, like me, you have listened to the wrong voice.

The last time the opportunity to have my feelings hurt came up again, I made a choice. I decided not to go by my feelings. I also decided not to listen to the voice that said, “This isn’t going to work.” I chose to discard those thoughts and feelings. And I must say that my next experience with that person turned out to be a very good experience, and there were no bad “feelings” after all!

From the bible we can see that King Saul is one of many examples of biblical characters who went by their feelings. He didn’t like the fact that the people were singing that “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands.” (1 Sam 18:7) Saul got so paranoid that David was going to take over the kingdom that he tried several times to kill him. Saul continued to try to kill David even after David refrained from killing Saul when he had the opportunity.

Are you like King Saul, seeing things in others that aren’t there? Stop listening to the voice that makes those bad feelings rise up. Instead, give the person the benefit of the doubt. You don’t have to listen to your fickle feelings any longer!

Dear Heavenly Father,
I thank You that as a believer, You have given me the Holy Spirit to guide me. I can rightly divide the thoughts that come into my mind and throw out those thoughts and feelings that are not of You and are not pleasing to You. Thank You for helping me to become more and more like Jesus. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.