“Feelings, nothing more than feelings ….” That’s the opening line from an old Andy Williams song written by Morris Albert. I think it could be the fight song for our modern times. We have become a culture which places “Feelings, nothing more than feelings ….” as the epitome of responses to every situation. I’m not sure how we got here.
God has given us a personality … we often refer to it as our soul. It is what makes us unique (just like everyone else). That personality is our mind, our will, and our emotions (feelings). To function well as human beings, it is crucial that we keep those things in the right order – mind, will, and emotions. Our culture has severely skewed that order. We are led now by our emotions, with our mind and will following.
The key to getting back in the correct order is found in Romans 12:2: “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is-his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
Our minds must be renewed. That happens when we expose ourselves to God’s Word … in other words, when we allow God’s truth to reign (rule) in our thoughts … when we allow God’s truth to rein (harness) in our thoughts!
When God’s Word and our emotions are in conflict, we must learn to acknowledge that it is God’s Word that is right. We must learn to submit to His Word and make our decisions on God’s truth. Our emotions are valuable, but they must be taught to follow “God’s will, His good, pleasing and perfect will.”
I don’t want my life to be governed by “Feelings, nothing more than feelings ….” I want my life to be governed by God’s truth. (Which reminds me, have you read your Bible today?)
