Following Feelings Or Trusting The Truth?

I began writing this post on Friday, which also happened to be the day I was anxiously waiting to hear back from a possible new doctor who I was going to be seeing. A new opportunity to finally get some answers and relief for the symptoms which continue to worsen.

Fresh eyes to look at me, exam me and FIX me once and for all!

YES

FINALLY!

But the call came and without giving out a lot of details, it did not work out the way which I thought it would! I won't be seeing this particular doctor. No cause on the doctor's part, and no cause on my part. 

It's just

NOT

The Lord's

plan 

for me! 

YES my hopes were dashed once again!

Another opportunity to get well was lost!

It felt as if the rug was pulled out from underneath of me for the umpteenth time!

Earlier that morning as I was laying in my bed reading my devotions, the following Scripture was included for the day,

"How long wilt thou forget me, O Lord? for ever? how long wilt thou hide thy face from me?

How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily? how long shall mine enemy be exalted over me?

Consider and hear me, O Lord my God: lighten mine eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death;

Lest mine enemy say, I have prevailed against him; and those that trouble me rejoice when I am moved.

But I have trusted in thy mercy; my heart shall rejoice in thy salvation.

I will sing unto the Lord, because he hath dealt bountifully with me."
Psalm 13

Oh how I could relate to the first few verses when I read them!

Oh how I could relate to them even more when I got the news about the doctor appointment!

I honestly felt like God had forgotten about me!

As if the Lord was hiding His face from me!

Asking, "Lord, isn't sixteen years long enough?"

Later that evening I decided to do some research on these verses and I'd like to share what I learned. Praying it will help you as much as it did me!

As you can see, this psalm begins with discouragement and despair, but ends with encouragement, trust and joy.

Going from one extreme to the next! Sound familiar? Like your own life at times?

David is struggling with "FEELING" that God had forgotten him.

"FEELING" as if God had distanced Himself.

Have you ever FELT as if God has forgotten or distanced Himself from you?

I think we've all been there at one time or another. 

We, too, like David, may cry out, "How long wilt thou forget me, O Lord? for ever? how long wilt thou hide thy face from me?"

We KNOW the Lord had NOT forgotten David and He does NOT forget us either!

The Word of God teaches that the Lord will NEVER leave us nor forsake us, but we allow our EMOTIONS and FEELINGS to tell us otherwise.

Notice the wording in verse two, "How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily?"

David

was

LOOKING

WITHIN

HIMSELF

for comfort

instead of

LOOKING

TO

THE LORD!

Oh, how many times I have done the very same thing. Playing over and over again in my mind the troubles and sorrows of life instead of talking to the Lord about them, all because I "FELT" as if the Lord had abandoned me!  

This is a GREAT reminder that we CANNOT trust our feelings!

Trouble is often like a pill God wants us to just swallow, but we make it worse by keeping it in our mouth and chewing on it.

BUT things take a drastic turn in verse three when David DOES cry out to the Lord.

David not only prays to the Lord, but he also makes a request for the Lord to "lighten his eyes".

Definition of lighten according to Websters Online Bible Dictionary:
"To illuminate with knowledge".

By asking the Lord to "lighten his eyes", David was simply asking for the Lord's wisdom and knowledge. To see things the way the Lord sees them. 

We also NEED to ask God to, "lighten our eyes", so we can be led by the Lord's wisdom and knowledge, and NOT by our feelings and ever-changing emotions.  

Isn't it

AMAZING 

what just

a little talk

with

JESUS

can do!

Now, instead of allowing his feelings to direct him, David is directing his feelings and what does he do?

He begins

to

REJOICE!

If David had nothing else to rejoice in, he could definitely rejoice in the salvation God gave him. And we, as believers, can do the EXACT same thing! 

When all around is sinking sand, we can still REJOICE in our salvation! 

Verse six says it all, "I will sing unto the Lord, because he hath dealt bountifully with me."

The Lord is in the process of teaching me over and over again (I'm a slow learner!) that the VERY BEST way to overcome discouragement, despair and depression is to first, PRAY, and then begin to PRAISE, REJOICE and SING because He definitely has dealt bountifully with me!

NO

our

situation

may not

change

BUT

it will

DEFINITELY

CHANGE

OUR

ATTITUDE!

Let's you and I purpose together that the next time we find ourselves facing despair and discouragement that we will PRAY.

Talking HONESTLY to the Lord.

NOT seeking comfort within ourselves.

NOT

LIVING

IN

OUR

FEELINGS

BUT

IN

GOD'S

TRUTH!

We will PRAISE AND REJOICE because the Lord has surely dealt bountifully with each of us. Begin by thanking the Lord for our personal relationship with Jesus and then keep on counting our blessings one by one!

We will SING unto the Lord!

We will do all of this whether we "FEEL" like it or not!

We will do it out of obedience to our Saviour.

Out of thanksgiving to our Lord.

And once we do, our feelings will fall into place!

ALL

IS

WELL

BECAUSE

OF

GOD'S

GREAT

LOVE!

---

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May God Bless You,

Barb