Help Me ... I'm Feeling — GRITANDFAVOR.COM

I often hear students in our youth ministry talking about ‘catching feelings’. I am pretty sure I spent the majority of my 20’s trying to NOT catch feelings. Not romantically speaking, like our students, but emotionally speaking. I didn’t want to feel sad because that would let people down. I didn’t want to feel frustrated because it made it hard to love those around me. I didn’t want to feel anxious because it made social settings wildly difficult. I didn’t want to feel confused but it proved I didn’t trust God. At some point I told myself that my feelings were the problem and they just needed to go... when what I really needed to hear was this:

My feelings shouldn’t dictate my actions but they are indicators of what is happening inside of me (pretty sure someone way smarter than me said this… maybe Lysa TerKeurst).

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My feelings were telling me something wasn’t right. They were showing me that I needed to do something different. Just like touching a flat iron to your forehead makes you feel something. You don’t keep letting the flat iron burn you and say, “It’s okay. Feelings are stupid, just ignore them”. That pain indicates it’s time to do something different.

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I quickly learned that my feelings are a direct reflection of my relationship with God. When my feelings are out of whack, something is missing. There is a void. An empty space. God showed me I must FILL the void of my FEELINGS with Him.

When I FEEL alone, I must FILL up with his Word.

When I FEEL abandoned, I must FILL up with His promises.

When I FEEL unloved, I must FILL up with His truth.

When I FEEL anxious, I must FILL up with His steadfast love.

When I FEEL like everything is falling apart, I must FILL up with His hope.

When I FEEL angry, I must FILL up with His grace.

Empty space is a playground for the enemy. When our hearts are full of truth, hope, and love, our feelings will reflect that.

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“A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.” Luke‬ ‭6:45‬ ‭NIV‬‬