What matters more – my feelings or the truth?
It would be easy to say ‘the truth’. Experience, however, reveals that my feelings trump the truth. Offended at grievances, rather than searching for the truth of the matter, I’m more prone to make a mission of harbouring bitterness to the one who caused the hurt feelings. Hearing a report on an issue that evokes strong emotions in me, I’m likely to get hung up on expressing just how I feel and rattling on with that rather than looking at the truth of the matter.
With sufficient strength of feeling it’s amazing how material and resources come my way that reinforces how I feel. It really is a wonder how I can find what I need to justify the feeling and soon the quest is a noble one. I can even convince myself that it’s a quest for what is right … even though I’ve not allowed myself the opportunity to consider the truth of the matter.
It’s not that the truth of the matter is devoid of emotion. It’s not that the truth of the matter has to be seen only in cold and clinical ways. It is that the truth of the matter is not subject to my feelings. It is that the truth of the matter does not always conveniently fit in with the narrative I concoct because of the strength of my feelings.
Why do I get carried away with my feelings? Why do I get so entrenched in these thaat they shape my behaviour and approach to others? Why is it so easy to find others who will support this cause and make it even more toxic than it already is?
Whatever those reasons are, I must return to the Truth to help me to see the truth of the matter. I must return to Him, submit to Him and live in the liberty that the truth offers. And let my feelings catch up with the process.
(Photo by Elijah Hiett on Unsplash)
For His Name’s Sake
Shalom
C. L. J. Dryden
Life With CD 