Feeling vs. Knowing

When you give your life over to God, you become a new creature. You have immediately transcended from death to eternal life. But sometimes we forget to realize that we still have that old mind set. New Christians and even mature one's sometimes beat themselves up when they think negative thoughts or have feelings that don't line up with the word of God.  Because we were all born into sin, our innate desire is to fulfill those lusts. When we come to Christ, we have to exchange our thoughts for what the word of God says.

This Christian experience cannot be based on what we feel but it has to be grounded on what we know. When we study the word of God, we become equipped to take control over our emotions. If we let our emotions rule us it is easy to fall into lustful desires, unforgiveness, and even entice us back into the world's system. The first step in controlling our emotions is to stop and not react instantly. For example, if you are talking with someone and you start to feel like the conversation is not heading in the right direction, the best thing to do is end it and come back to it later. If you continue and let your emotions take over, you may say something that you will later regret. I have waited several days before returning to a conversation when I felt that I needed more time to be strong enough to resist letting my emotions take over.

The second key is to go to the word of God when you start to have negative feelings. Take losing your job for instance. The first thing most of us would think about is how the bills are going to get paid. We would start to worry and maybe even get depressed. If we open up our bible and read, we will discover that God says he will supply all of our need. The word of God has an answer for any situation you are faced with.  If you don't dwell on how you feel, but go to God instead, I guarantee your whole perception of your situation will change.

Lastly, we have to realize that our feelings don't determine the outcome, the word of God does. Just because we feel a certain way doesn't mean it is true. If you make up in your mind that you are going to serve God regardless of how you feel, in time, your feelings will begin to change and will line up with what God says. It doesn't happen overnight. It takes work to build your faith walk and take charge over your emotions. Feeling and knowing are two different things. You can feel like you can't make it, but you have to know that God is always with you. You may feel like your illness is taking over, but you have to know that God is a healer. Situations can come to destroy you, but God says that we are more than conquerors. Believe that God is going to do a new thing in you and he will. Don't get discouraged by how you feel, know that God is able.

When we continue to meditate on the word of God, our feelings will start to change. We will begin operating in the know. The enemy will always try to make you feel things that don't line up with God's word. When you are grounded and rooted in the word, you can immediately counteract those feelings and exchange them for the never failing word of God. Keep giving your situation over to God and know that he desires the best for you. Be Blessed!

Video of the Day: I Believe by James Fortune