Mind Your Feelings

“Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life.” Proverbs 4:23 (NKJV)

Feelings rush in like waves—sometimes gentle, sometimes boisterous. They colour our days, shape our choices, and whisper loudly in our ears.

How often do we wake up and let the first wave of emotion dictate the course of our entire day?

We feel anxious, so we avoid a task. We feel offended, so we lash out or withdraw. We feel lethargic, so we skip our prayer time.

In a world that constantly encourages us to "follow our heart" and "trust our gut," the Bible sternly cautions us: the heart is deceitful above all things (Jeremiah 17:9). 

The prophet Jeremiah reminds us that the heart—the seat of our emotions, feelings, and intent—can be profoundly unreliable. It often leads us astray, presenting illusions as reality. 

This does not mean that feelings are inherently evil, but it means they are not truth. They are an interpretation of reality, highly influenced by our past experiences, fears, and even physical state.

You can feel angry at someone who has done nothing wrong. You can feel rejected by a friend who loves you deeply. You can feel hopeless on a day when God’s promises stand firm. 

Feelings are not facts. They rise and fall like the tide, but God’s Word remains steady forever and we must anchor our lives on the unshakeable Rock of Scripture.

God gave us feelings for a purpose. They help us connect—with others through empathy, with our surroundings through awareness, with society through shared joy or sorrow.

Imagine a mother’s tears at her child’s pain, a friend’s laughter in celebration, a worshipper’s awe in God’s presence—these are gifts. 

But when feelings demand the throne, when they shout louder than Scripture, when they steer the ship of your life, they become idols. Feelings are not God. Don’t let them control you.

David felt abandoned in the cave of Adullam, yet he declared: “When my heart is overwhelmed; lead me to the rock that is higher than I.” Psalm 61:2 (NKJV).

Paul and Silas felt the sting of chains in a Philippian jail, yet they sang hymns at midnight (Acts 16:25). Jesus felt sorrow to the point of sweating blood in Gethsemane, yet He prayed, “Not My will, but Yours, be done” (Luke 22:42).

Feelings are not reliable, but God is. They shift with the wind, but His truth anchors the soul.

So when fear screams, speak faith. 

When shame condemns, cling to grace.

When anger burns, choose forgiveness.

When sadness weighs heavy, lift your eyes to the hills (Psalm 121:1).

Guard your heart. Test every feeling against the light of God’s Word. Let emotions serve their purpose—to draw you closer to Him and to others—but never let them sit on the throne that belongs to Christ alone.

PRAYER 
Dear Lord, You search my heart and know every feeling before it rises. Teach me to feel deeply but follow wisely. Let not my emotions lead me astray, but let Your truth guide my steps. Keep my heart anchored in You, the Rock higher than I, in Jesus name, Amen.