What I Feel vs What I Know
The greatest spiritual battle I face on a daily basis.
One of the most difficult challenges every day is the battle between what I feel and what I know. Emotions are a great gift from God, and they are a reflection of God’s image in which He created us. But since the fall they have taken an inordinate place in our lives.
All too often our emotions rule us rather than serve us. And way too many times, our emotions do not accurately portray the reality around us. They obscure our view of our circumstances and whisper (sometimes scream!) lies in our ears.
But what we know — provided we know the right things and know them accurately — can present a much clearer picture of reality. This is particularly true when it comes to what we know about God. When we know that He is sovereign and in control and that we are His, we need not fear our circumstances. When we know that He is love and has given His Son that we might be His, we need not feel the depth of loneliness.
The Thermometer in Your Heart
Let me illustrate this way. Although both are important, there is a great difference between a thermometer and a thermostat. A thermometer measures the environment around it. Its reading will be determined by its location. A thermometer in direct sunlight will give a different reading than one in the shade. The thermometer reads its surroundings. That’s what emotions do for us. They give an indication of the circumstances we are in. Sometimes, thermometers need recalibration. For a variety of reasons, they may misread the environment. So also, we cannot always depend on our emotions to give an accurate view of our circumstances.
The Thermostat in Your Head
A thermostat, however, adjusts the environment in which it is placed. If you notice it is too warm in your house, you lower the thermostat and the AC cools you down, and vice-versa. The thermostat in your car adjusts the cooling apparatus of the engine in response to its needs.
What we know about God has the ability to adjust our attitudes and actions in the middle of our circumstances. When we know that God is for us and invested the life of His Son in us, we can trust Him to give us everything that is good. (Romans 8:31-32) And when we know that our loving, sovereign God is in control of our circumstances, we can set our fear aside and trust Him obediently. (Romans 8:35-39)
Adjusting Your Temperature
So when you find yourself being ruled by instead of served by your emotions, turn to what you know about God. Temper your emotions with truth about God, His promises, and His purpose for you.
Let me suggest three daily activities that will help you keep your thermostat well-adjusted.
1. As you read your Bible, note verses that declare the attributes and nature of God. Catalogue those verses somewhere you where will have easy access to them. Keep a list of the verses on your phone or a note card somewhere close by.
2. Choose an attribute of God for meditation each day. The Navigators have a wonderful tool for meditating on the names and attributes of God daily. You can download it here. Pick an attribute of God, read the accompanying Scripture, and keep its truth with you throughout the day.
3. Memorize Bible verses that declare the attributes of God. When we find ourselves crippled in moments of emotion, memorized Bible verses are a great tool to bring to bear. The best anti-venom for lies is truth. I have compiled an alphabetical list of 26 attributes of God with accompanying verses. Many nights I have lain in bed and recited these verses to myself to calm my soul. You can memorize these verses at your own pace and have a great collection
of truth to combat those crippling emotions. You can download that list here.
Remember, emotions are a good thing when they operate the way God intended them. They are a part of His image which He created us to bear. But our emotions are meant to serve us not rule us. Let your emotions point you to Him, enhance your love for Him, and feed your worship of Him.