Endless Worth: Seeking God’s Purpose in a Success-Obsessed WorldUzorak

Day 4: Trust God, Not Your Feelings

‘If our hearts condemn us, we know that God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.’ (1 John 3:20)

Did you know that your own heart condemns you? I think you probably do. I, for one, constantly criticise myself for how far I’ve got in my writing career. Sound familiar? I find myself stuck in the anxiety of not doing enough or not doing the right things to find success.

The Strong’s Concordance definition for ‘condemn’ is ‘to give judgment against’. This verse in 1 John recognises our tendency to judge ourselves, which manifests as feelings of discontentment, self-criticism, and depression.

Our feelings are valid, but they can also betray us.

These feelings can take hold and become sin: the feeling of being unseen can lead to judgment; the feeling of having less can lead to envy; the feeling of being mistreated can lead to slander. These things get in the way of our purity, distance us from God, and steal our joy as we tackle everyday life.

But of course, there’s good news. God can be the master of our feelings.

The Message translation of 1 John 3:18-20 puts it beautifully:

‘My dear children, let’s not just talk about love; let’s practice real love. This is the only way we’ll know we’re living truly, living in God’s reality. It’s also the way to shut down debilitating self-criticism, even when there is something to it. For God is greater than our worried hearts and knows more about us than we do ourselves.’

This means that when we start to feel things against ourselves, God can intercede for us. He is greater than our feelings.

Prayer

God, I praise and thank you that you are bigger than what I feel about my life. I want to share my feelings with you and I do so in the knowledge that you can show me your heart for this situation and for my purpose in life. Please show me who I truly am.

Key takeaway

When you’re stuck in a feeling, make a commitment to test it against the Word and ask for God’s intervention. Ask God: is this feeling for me or against me?