I was in this crazy meeting the other day, and my friend/mentor said: “The problem with Jana is she has to FEEL everything. She has to have a feeling before she takes action, or a feeling before she believes the facts.”
He kept talking, but I noticed everything went on pause for me as I considered what he said. Is this a good thing or a bad thing to need to FEEL everything?
Yes. Both. I had to do a lot of work to learn how to feel emotions, love and confidence. I had to dig through a lot of rubbish to find my heart. So I don’t dismiss this progress. That’s the good part. But I also see that if I don’t FEEL the right thing, or enough of some thing, I pause, or stall, or panic. That’s the bad part.
Somewhere in here is the need for Faith.
Faith, I am coming to believe, is not built on feelings, but fact. There are the FACTS of God that are true whether my feelings line up or not. These facts have been in existence long before and long after my feelings stir, blaze, and fade. And my answer to the gap that exists between fact and feeling is worship.
I declare over myself the realities of the Living God. I renounce the “spirit” of despair and announce the goodness of the Spirit of God. I worship the Truest thing I know, the Love of God. And by faith, I believe my feelings will catch up sooner or later.
How do your feelings dictate, translate and frustrate your life, your successes, even your failures?
Seth Godin’s Blog really hit the spot this morning… As you read it, do a heart check and get moving. “Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.” Hebrews 10:23
I don’t feel like it
What’s it?
Why do you need to feel like something in order to do the work? They call it work because it’s difficult, not because it’s something you need to feel like.
Very few people wake up in the morning and feel like taking big risks or feel like digging deep for something that has eluded them. People don’t usually feel like pushing themselves harder than they’ve pushed before or having conversations that might be uncomfortable.
Of course, your feelings are irrelevant to whether or not the market expects great work. Do the work. Ignore the feelings part and the work will follow.
~ Seth Godin
One thing I have learned recently is that if I am walking / abiding closely with God, then I can trust my want to’s and my not want to’s. Like the Good Samaritan…He stopped to help the fallen man, b/c he wanted to do this, and he took him to the inn and stayed with him for awhile, but then he paid the innkeeper to stay with the man and take care of him and he continued on his journey…and I think this want to was good and was from the Lord…what if the injured man had asked him to stay longer, or said you can’t leave me etc….and the good samaritan had stayed out of guilt, or some other emotion…would his staying have been pleasing to the Lord..would it have even been good for the injured man..? It is so exciting to me to realize if I am closely walking and listening to God, abiding…then I can trust my want to’s and my not want to’s…and act on them..as from the Lord. I am not sure that this has anything to do with what you said about emotions..which I think I agree with….but it came to my mind as something I have learned that was exciting to me and I wanted to share it with you in conversation ! ( smile )