Feelings
Good Morning
God gave us feelings. We are flesh, and our flesh was given feelings by the Creator. Weariness, temperature, pain and comfort: all these are feelings that came from the manufacturer — there is nothing wrong with those feelings.
Likewise, God gave us feelings of emotion. We are emotional creatures who feel anger, pleasure, fear, love, and disappointment. These feelings are not wrong; but anyone with even the slightest bit of wisdom knows that we cannot live a decent life while pleasing and catering to these feelings, emotionally or physically. Most of our feelings need to be suppressed or even changed. How many young people would have married in pre-teen years, and how many moral wrongs would have been committed if we allowed feelings to run wild in youth or adulthood? Our prisons are full of people who did what their feelings told them to do. Abortion is usually a result of following unrestrained passion or following the feeling that you do not want a baby right now.
If we have a child that does not feel like going to school or doing his homework, a wise parent still makes the child fulfill his duty. No accomplished musician ever went through the many years of practice without fighting the feelings of not wanting to practice. Work is not a synonym with pleasure, ease, or comfort. Work is something that needs to be done because it is right, because it is a pathway to a desired goal, or because it is necessary for survival.
Why do we allow society to place such emphasis on feelings? We all know that feelings will ruin us, and that right must be our guide — not feelings. The Bible tells us that the feelings in our heart are untrustworthy.
Jeremiah 17:9 “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?”
Jeremiah 16:12 “And ye have done worse than your fathers; for, behold, ye walk every one after the imagination of his evil heart, that they may not hearken unto me:”
Genesis 6:5 “And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.”
Following feeling results in all sorts of negative outcomes:
I feel like I need a break — so I quit my job.
I feel like I want to punch someone — so I am in trouble with the law.
I feel like I need drugs — so I am an addict again.
I feel like I am going to panic — so I run from my responsibilities.
I feel like I am another gender — so I commit unrighteous acts.
The fact remains that we cannot respond to our feelings or allow feelings to run our lives. Our feelings are untrustworthy. I may feel depressed, but I still need to be good to people, I still need to go to work, I still need to conduct my behavior according to the laws of the land.
If I feel angry and want to lash out at my spouse, I must suppress that feeling. I must control my thoughts and create righteous feelings intentionally: “As he thinketh in his heart, so is he.” (Proverbs 23:7)
A successful military force must depend upon control of reactions to physical pain or weariness and emotional feelings that would hinder necessary action. The same is true with athletics; no winning team allows feelings to rule. Feelings of winners are controlled by logic, a coach, and the mind of the athlete.
As all unrighteous emotions need to be suppressed, so must wrong physical feelings be controlled.
A former drug user must say, “No!” to emotional or physical desires.
An alcoholic must say, “No!” to physical cravings for alcohol, else ruin will follow.
What a stupid idea to think that because I feel a certain way, I must act upon it. Every human experiences sinful feelings; it is what we do with those feelings that makes the difference.
Proverbs 28:26 “He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool: but whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered.”
John 6:63 “It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.”
The Spirit brings life; following the flesh will bring death.
Jesus said the most basic trait required to be His disciple was to deny ourselves and not cater to our feelings.
Matthew 16:24 “Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.”
Some people are more prone to certain weaknesses or to strengths. Whether it be genetic or upbringing, some people lean more toward disorganization, or laziness, or athleticism, or intellect. We are not all naturally artistic, but we can at least be careful when writing so our written words are legible. Every child will not naturally do well in English and composition, but every child should learn to communicate. Some children will have more trouble with math than others, yet all must learn basic math functions. Feelings or natural tendencies are not to determine our actions.
Some girls are more masculine than others, some boys are softer or somewhat feminine, but that does not justify abominable behavior any more than my anger justifies killing someone. The fact I do not want a baby that was recently conceived has no bearing on the fact that the rights of the child demand I guard and protect its life. Allowing emotional feelings to develop toward a co-worker when one is married is simply the sin of allowing the feelings to develop; this does not justify moral impropriety.
Mark 7:21 “For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,”
vs. 22 “Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness:”
We must allow right (the Word of God) to control our choices.
If a spouse feels as if they do not love their spouse any more, but has vowed to “love and cherish ‘till death,” he must suppress those feelings and cultivate right feelings.
It is our foolishness that allows wrong feelings and wrong thoughts to take root in our minds and hearts causing us to be consumed with passion for something that God, and human logic, forbids.
James 1:14 “But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.”
vs. 15 “Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.”
One might think, “I hate my job and I want to quit.” To quit a job with no secure income is folly; thus one should act logically and seek other employment, get trained for another industry, or back to school in order to change careers — none of those decisions are wrong. To train up a culture of young people to feel they should enjoy their job or quit is nonsense. Most people do what they enjoy on days off work, then do their best to appreciate the benefits of their job and simply keep working — work is work, not play (character and integrity, not laziness).
If one feels anger, bitterness, jealousy, laziness, or any other wrong feeling, he must recognize those feelings as wrong and fill his mind and heart with right thoughts resulting in right feelings; and then right actions will follow.
To obey feelings will leave us useless, unproductive, and finally dead:
Ecclesiastes 9:3 “…yea, also the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live…”
We can spend our lives changing the location of our home, the job we hold, the church we attend, the spouse we have, or any number of other elements of our lives — yet, the changes only lead to a world of total instability. Following good counsel, logic, and the Bible will keep us on the successful path of those who walked the path before us.
Instead of allowing feelings to run my life, God instructs me to trust in His Word.
Proverbs 3:5 “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.”
Pastor