Ignore Your Feelings–
This may sound completely crazy-
Ignore my feelings.
That seems to be the OPPOSITE of what “they” tell us.
“trust your gut”
“I can’t help what I feel”
“follow your heart”
Ignore your feelings- this may be a piece of advice that no one’s ever given you before.
Ignore your feelings.
In most cases, acting on your feelings, just reacting in a split second, will get you in trouble.- The guy you work with pissed you off- you felt like punching him, so you did…you followed your feelings. He pissed me off- I socked him a good one.
Yes it may have felt good in the moment-
Yes, he may have even deserved it-
But giving into your feeling, punching him may lead you to a string of “bad luck”
-you lost your job
-you couldn’t pay your car payment
– you couldn’t support your family
– and on top of it all, he is pressing charges.
All this because you followed your feelings- you felt something-you reacted.
Even now you may be blaming him for this string of “bad luck”.
“Well if he hadn’t mouthed off and stepped up to me, I wouldn’t have had to knock him out.”
No- you had a choice in that moment (remember puzzle piece #3 Be nice to others??) But you chose to act based on your feelings-he pissed you off-you punched him.
Our feelings lie to us. That immediate instinct to lash out is the darkness, your demon, the negative ego. It acts out of fear and anger.
Any reaction you have that is not from love is the wrong reaction.
You must remember that you cannot control how other people behave- you can only control how you respond. God wants you to turn the other cheek.
Worried that people will judge you and think you are weak? The only opinion that matters is the opinion of God. The only judgment you should be worried about is His judgment.
God rewards the meek.
Do not be confused–meek is not weak. Meek is choosing not to react in violence, anger or fear. It is reacting in a Godly way.
Let’s try another situation where you should “ignore your feelings”
Maybe you look in the mirror and feel you are fat and ugly. You hate yourself and feel you are completely unlovable.
And yet, look around, you have friends and family who think you are beautiful, wonderful and completely lovable.
Are they all crazy??
Are they all wrong??
How is it feasible that everyone in your life is wrong and how you feel is right?
Consider the possibility that YOU are wrong. Look at yourself–Maybe you ARE beautiful. Maybe you ARE lovable. God created you perfect. You are created in his image. He has made you exactly who you need to be to fulfill your purpose in this life. Your worth is immeasurable.
Now—be nice to yourself.
Ignore your feelings—that voice that screams at you- he can’t treat you like that, punch him, you are ugly- you are unlovable- you’ll never get what you want- you suck—JUST IGNORE THOSE THOUGHTS!!
When you hear that voice you tell it to just shut up.
“ I reject that reality. The darkness will not win this argument because I refuse to believe your lies.”
Tell that voice-
“I am a child of God and I am beautiful, lovable and peaceful.”
The more you do this, the better you will get at it. It’s like a muscle that you have to build up by using over and over. The more you reject that stream of constant criticism, goading and lies, the easier it will be to do the right thing, think the right way, and be right with God.
Those dark negative thoughts are not your own. Psychology calls it the negative ego, Christianity would call it the devil or demons. I call it the darkness.
What ever you want to call it, it looks for our weaknesses and exploits them.
If you have a quick temper, it will push you and push you to explode with rage.
If you lack confidence it will nip away at your self worth.
If you are jealous, it will find a way to twist all situations to look like you are being betrayed.
No matter what your personal situation is, the darkness can always find a way to use it and pull you deeper into the dark pit of anger and depression.
You must condition yourself to notice when you hear that voice and realize that is not you. The voice is a separate entity.
It is the darkness, the negative ego, the demon.
Your purpose in this life is to overcome that voice. Notice when it rears its ugly head and take a look at your behavior.
When the darkness speaks it is usually because it has found a weakness in you.
Examine that weakness. Recognize that weakness and fix it like plugging a hole in the dam.
Use that darkness to your advantage and turn it around.
Pray!
Ask God for his help.
“ Lord I am having an issue in this area. Please heal my pain and help me to keep vigilant against the darkness that is trying to take advantage me. I have faith that you are with me and I am not alone in this fight.”
Ignore your feelings. Control your emotions. React from love, not anger or fear. God is with you!
2 Corinthians 10:5
5 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.
Unleash Your Light 