Feelings are unreliable.

One minute I can feel strongly about a thing and the next I can feel the total opposite. “Feelings are not facts”, says Myleik Teele. Just like when we double check the facts on the news, we should do the same with our emotions. We should ask ourselves 3 questions.

1. What exactly are we feeling?

2. Is the emotion or feeling true in the context in which they are involved?

3. Will the emotion solve the issue.

We must identify our emotions, examine why we might be feeling the emotion, and accept that our emotions might now be 100% true.

It’s hard standing up against our own emotions. We are so used to using our emotions to guide us. We have been taught that what we feel matters and that the world must conform to the way we feel. But, is that what we really want?

I think about all the times when I felt angry at a family member or a friend, and although my feelings may have been valid at the time, at the end of the day I still loved them. Just not in that moment.

What if I would have taken my anger or jealousy toward my friend and did something about it? What if I would have allowed those emotions to lead my actions? Then all those other moments when I loved my friend and felt gracious for her would have been cancelled out.

We have a choice, we do not have to be led by our emotions. So what do we use to make our decisions then? We are supposed to use the Holy Spirit and the bible. Instead of asking how we feel about a situation or what our perspective is we should seek God’s advice and counsel first.

I think that for most decisions, God tells us to make them with love, servitude, and forgiveness. Before we make a decision we should consider, what would Jesus do.

Doing things the right way comes with practice and making decisions without emotions also comes with practice. One way to develop this skill is to use moments when you feel strong emotions to examine yourself, the way you think, and how your body is responding.

Personally, for me when I feel strong emotions, man, they are strong! The more I practice examining my emotions without judgement or criticism, the better I get at knowing myself, my triggers, and how to control myself.

“You do not have to believe every thought you think or every emotion you feel.” -Pastor Rick Warren