FEELINGS

FEELINGS

 

The words if a song by that title say…..

 

“Feelings, nothing more than feelings
Trying to forget my feelings…….

Teardrops rolling down on my face
Trying to forget my feelings …..”

 

Feelings are real. Feelings are good, unless they control us.

As a Believer, the words written by Martin Luther have been a great source of comfort and strength for me:

   

"Feelings come and feelings go, 
And feelings are deceiving; 
My warrant is the Word of God-- 
Naught else is worth believing. 

Though all my heart should feel condemned 
For want of some sweet token, 
There is One greater than my heart 
Whose Word cannot be broken. 

I'll trust in God's unchanging Word 
Till soul and body sever, 
For, though all things shall pass away, 
HIS WORD SHALL STAND FOREVER!" 
— Martin Luther

 I have been depressed.  Who hasn’t?  I realize that the depression I have experienced in the past is nothing compared to what you may be going through.  It’s sort of like ‘Puppy Love’; it’s real to the puppy.  The question is:  what do we do about it?   Ignore it and maybe it will go away?  Talk about?  That seems to help some.  Medicate it?  That too will help temporarily until the cure becomes worse than the problem.

 As a Child of the King, the only answer, I believe, is to put it in the proper perspective. God loves me! That is a fact.  There is nothing I can ever do to make Him love me any more and there is nothing I can do that will make Him love me any less.  HE LOVES ME!  Period.  I know that because of the promises of His Word.

 I must keep the order straight:

         FACT......FAITH......FEELINGS

 Do Not Depend on Feelings 

The promise of God's Word, the Bible -- not our feelings -- is our authority. The Christian lives by faith (trust) in the trustworthiness of God Himself and His Word. If I understand the Fact of God's Word, have Faith in it, Feelings will follow.

Do any of the following words describe your feelings?

 

Dignity/ Respect/Self-Worth Ashamed Beaten down Cut down Criticized Dehumanized Disrespected Embarrassed Humiliated Inferior Insulted Invalidated Labeled Lectured to Mocked Offended Put down Resentful Ridiculed Stereotyped Teased Underestimated

Freedom/Control Bossed around Controlled Imprisoned Inhibited Forced Manipulated Obligated Over-controlled Over-ruled Powerless Pressured Restricted Suffocated Trapped

Love/Connection/ Importance Abandoned Alone Brushed off Confused Disapproved of Discouraged Ignored Insignificant Invisible Left out Lonely Misunderstood Neglected Rejected Uncared about Unheard Unknown Unimportant Uninformed Unloved Unsupported Unwanted

Justice Accused Cheated Falsely accused Guilt-tripped Interrogated Judged Lied about Lied to Misled Punished Robbed

Safety Abused Afraid Attacked Defensive Frightened Insecure Intimidated Over-protected Scared Terrified Threatened Under-protected Unsafe Violated

Trust Cynical Guarded Skeptical Suspicious Untrusted Untrusting

 Read Martin Luther’s words again!