Monday, June 30, 2025

Feelings

 "We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." 2 Corinthians 10:5


Joni Eareckson Tada is truly a hero of the faith. She, as much as anybody I know of, has lived the life that has made her, "more than a conqueror." Recently I listened to her as she spoke about her great battles against depression. She said that there are times when her constant pain is so intense that she is tempted to, as Paul was, to "despair" even of life. She spoke not just of her thoughts, but of her emotions, and the power they held, as well as how the enemy works so effectively against us through them.

Emotions and thoughts are real, but they are often not the truth. As Tada said, "Depression, a product of mind and emotion, lies to you." We have become very much a feelings centered culture. We follow our emotions instead of His Words. That is a dangerous, even spiritually suicidal way of life. Our feelings and emotions may be real, but often, not the truth. His Word and Truth are more real and fully true. Feelings and emotions can enslave us and are powerful, but we can be free of their tyranny. We must take them to the cross, where, as Tada says, "their power over us is broken." 

We are not meant to follow our feelings and emotions, which so easily mislead us. Each of us can think of many instances when we acted upon them to our great regret. This is where Paul's exhortation in 2 Corinthians 10:5 is so powerful. In the leading and power of His Holy Spirit, we bring what we are feeling and thinking to Him, to His cross, and we "nail them" to it. We crucify the thoughts and feelings there. We "die" to their power over us and in exchange, take on the power of His Word. The power of His risen life.

There have been several times in my life where I battled deep depression and all the emotions that went with it. Because of it, I knew what it was to be held in the "miry clay" that David wrote about. There was help in counseling to a certain degree, but I found deliverance in my coming to Him in complete surrender, not only concerning the feelings and thoughts, but in the situations that gave rise to them. I'd been trying to control all of the situations and failed miserably. Freedom came when I repented of that, and at His cross, yielded it all to Him. 

Feelings and emotions will so often set themselves up against the knowledge of God. Living in the risen power of His Truth and Word will demolish their power and set us free from their tyranny. If you're living under their tyranny today, come to His cross. Nail them and their captivity to it. Live free, be free. Now.

Blessings,
Pastor O

No comments:

Post a Comment