So, right now there is a bible study going on at my church on Tuesdays. We're watching a series of talks by Louie Giglio. If you don't know anything about Louie, the nutshell is that he has a very visually-oriented, casual ministry style but manages to drive home the truths of the Gospel in a very profound way.
This series is "Christ In You" and focuses on Colossians. This Tuesday, he spent some time talking about the difference in what is actually true vs. what we feel like, or feel is true. He said that sadly, most people live based on their feelings instead of what God has said is true (the point here being, in case you are a little slow, that God's word can be trusted).
Although I've heard this teaching before, it really whacked me upside the head this week, because I'd just gotten through enduring a situation that truthfully was nothing... but it felt like hell. And, acting on the feeling and not the reality, I pushed the first domino over.
click
click
click click
click click click
click click clickclickclickclick...thunk! <--(the sound of someone jamming their hand in between the dominoes)
Thank God that before the whole domino arrangement fell over (it's barely started getting set up!), cooler heads prevailed, the voice of reason (and reality) intervened, and a friendship was not destroyed.
Louie, even though you just happened to be cued up in the DVD player on Tuesday, I thank God that you were there to make the analogy painfully clear. Although the issue was already being resolved, I now have a wonderful picture of how ridiculously far away from the truth (and The Truth) we can get when we base our reactions on our feelings and not reality. Whether in the interpersonal moments in day to day life or the infinitely more important and eternal ramifications of our salvation, how we may feel about something is nothing upon which to stand. May I always remember this the next time my feelings get in the way... the enemy sure knows how to manipulate feelings, but cannot change the truth!
1 comment:
Amen!
I'm not in danger of destroying relationships (or don't think I am, anyway), but I am in danger of destroying myself (metaphorically speaking, not intervention necessary wise). That thought at least triggers a "You're way over the line right now and just need to stop whatever you're doing, maybe take a nap, but whatever, CALM DOWN!"
But I digress.
As always, my main struggle is against myself. I don't feel loved, so I must not be. I don't feel worthwhile, so I must not be. I don't feel like I have anything to contribute, so why bother trying? Etc., etc., etc. At least I'm being forced to reconsider this trance-inducing pattern of (non-)thought.
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