Feelings are a theological nuisance...

Feelings are a theological nuisance.

If I were to get a penny for every time I've heard this statement, I'd have a handful of useless old coins. (We use cents here in South Africa.) But every time I've heard it, I've thought: "Wow, that makes sense." Feelings, never mind whether they're in the theological context or not, can be completely misleading and confusing. Think, for example, of the times you were younger and hated your parents for being not getting you a pink pony for your birthday like you asked (instead, in their infinite wisdom, they gave you an encyclopedia). Sure, in your seven year old brain, you probably disliked your parents intensely at that point of time, but underneath it all, you knew loved them. But your feelings made you temporarily forget this as you stomped your little gangly legs and little pouty feet off to your bedroom.

(From the other side, I've also heard that sometimes parents feel as if they could kill their little angels. That don't necessarily mean naught. Luckily for us who have parents).

Or, rather, think of the last time you had PMS and you felt like riding over the woman who bought the last Lindt chocolate bar from the local supermarket. Rationally, you might have thought that letting out her tires was a bit much, but your feelings certainly didn't stop you. Right?

And exactly the same thing can happen with God. Sometimes we feel as if God's ignoring us. As if He doesn't love us anymore. As if He's never loved us. As if He doesn't care. But here's the thing. Our feelings have the ability to override and commandeer our mental states. And woah, feelings can be lank treacherous. And the problem is that we forget this and tend to trust our feelings and emotions instead of relying on God's Word and on his promises that He does love us, that He will never forsake us, and that He is always faithful and true.

But, I've been thinking about it, and maybe I've been too hasty in disregarding my feelings just like that. Check out the next few blogs...