Feelings...

[Running Gator]

45 minutes ago, RustyAngeL said:

Nor am I Davida.  I heard the saying, women think with their hearts, men with their heads.  I'm not to fond of that either, we need to have both.  However when a serious  decision needs to be made I want to listen to Holy Spirit and now what my gut tells me. 

Some years ago I headhunter approached me about a job with a different company.  The job was a promotion, about 45% more money, a nice solo office and a fancy title.  The wife and I talked about it for a while, I prayed about it and did my research.  My list of pros was 5 times longer than my cons, yet I could not get over the feeling I had that it was not the right place for me, so I turned it down.  About 9 months later the company was the target of a merger and the division I would have been heading was dissolved as part of the cost savings. 

Was it the Holy Spirit or my gut?  How does the Holy Spirit guide us if not by our feelings?  

[Dennis1209]

Some very good points and well taken.

I don't want to turn this thread into a confessional but... I find some feelings much stronger and difficult to control and reconcile, such as anger and hate. You lose a lot of joy and health when you're filled with anger and hate. By no means am I saying I'm filled with anger and hate! I'm stating I get very angry with the policies, legislation and direction our country is taking. It's difficult for me not to hate a non religion for current Christian beheadings, wholesale barbaric murdering, death to the infidel and Great Satan, etc. I find it very difficult to love your enemy as we are commanded to do. 

As a former combat veteran, there was no love in what I did in the military. Maybe this is a carryover of my younger years and still remains in the flesh?

But with the Lord's help, I'm working on it.

[Guest bonnieschamberger]

I agree oots ..for me its alot more in balance now than in the beginning but that is thanks to God.....the closer and closer I get to Him ...the more in love it just becomes more and more natural.

[missmuffet]

You can't let your emotions dictate your faith. Feelings are not consistent. They are not reliable. God is reliable. Never changing.

[Running Gator]

8 hours ago, missmuffet said:

You can't let your emotions dictate your faith. Feelings are not consistent. They are not reliable. God is reliable. Never changing.

God is reliable, God also gave you feelings, why should we dismiss that which God gave us?

[Running Gator]

1 hour ago, Davida said:

Were you using your "feelings" instead of just using reading comprehension skills? As, your above comment is a good example of of jumping to completely false conclusions.

Could you then explain what this means..."I'm not a big fan of following "feelings"".  If you do not follow them, and you do not use them to make decisions, what exactly do you do with your feelings?  Do they serve some purpose in your life?

[missmuffet]

4 hours ago, Out of the Shadows said:

God is reliable, God also gave you feelings, why should we dismiss that which God gave us?

What is the difference in feelings and emotions?

[GoldenEagle]

On October 12, 2016 at 7:24 PM, Out of the Shadows said:

But really this thread was not about that classic oldie, but about feelings that we humans have.

For the record this is a spin-off of the changing churches thread.

I contend that it is impossible to divorce our decision making process from our feelings and also that it is bad idea to even try to. 

 

Hiya OoTS  I would agree with you. As I stated in the other thread feelings are not evil. The truth is a wise person uses the Bible, the Holy Spirit (prayer), logic, and feelings in making discerning decisions.

God bless,
GE

[GoldenEagle]

52 minutes ago, missmuffet said:

What is the difference in feelings and emotions?

Hiya Miss  

They seem to be fairly similar. Here's some thoughts on the matter. 

Feeling: an emotional state or reaction. Or it might also be considered a belief, especially a vague or irrational one. You can feel warm or cold for example. 

Emotion: a natural instinctive state of mind deriving from one's circumstances, mood, or relationships with others. Emotions are often an intense, brief experience which focuses on pleasure or displeasure. Primary emotions can include anger, joy, sadness, and fear. 

God bless,

GE

[enoob57]

19 hours ago, Davida said:

Personally I'm not a big fan of following "feelings". I find most who do that are reactive to others and their environment. Imo it is Not wise to base any decisions ,perceptions, beliefs or opinions upon emotions or sensations or cravings. I choose to examine the facts and through  prayer make my decisions and I ask that the Lord Jesus take command and guide my mind and heart. 

 The Bible says the heart is wicked  and causes us troubles. so I ask God to cleanse my heart on a regular basis. 

 

18 hours ago, RustyAngeL said:

Nor am I Davida.  I heard the saying, women think with their hearts, men with their heads.  I'm not to fond of that either, we need to have both.  However when a serious  decision needs to be made I want to listen to Holy Spirit and now what my gut tells me. 

I quoted you both because I wished to add to your distinctive-s given here ... satan's original sin was not of addition but of perversion of the order in the pleasure of God's Doings... in this we understand that God has and Wills specific order in all He Does and with the soul that of mind, will, emotion we are comprised and in that order we are to function. So if we motive ourselves in emotion without first being passed through the sieve of mind into will unto emotion- we are perverse from the created order of reason  into activity for purpose unto God.  Love, Steven