More Than a Feeling

“We have also a more sure word of prophecy.” (2 Peter 1:19)

So many times over the years, I've heard people share how they made a major decision in their life, and said; "I prayed a lot and I have a peace about it."

A few years ago I made a life-changing decision to enroll in a local college and get an associate degree in family counseling. I prayed a lot about it, and consulted with my most trusted friends and even three of my mentors. I seemed to be getting nothing but green lights, so I declared I was going to do it because "I had peace about it."

After only a week into my classes, one of my advisors asked to meet with me. He said that I would have a very difficult, if not impossible time trying to find a paying job anywhere, with only a two year associate degree in this field.

I was crushed. I prayed..."But God, You gave me peace about this! And so many good people confirmed this was the right move to make. I even had scripture to back up my decision."

After much soul searching and prayer, I decided to leave the college and annul my enrollment. I still had time to cancel my student loan, get my deposit back, and return most of my books.

My wife was not happy. She said, "But you were so sure that this was what you believed God had called you to do!"

It seemed that everyone was unhappy with me. But I felt an enormous sense of relief. I truly believed (and still do) that God gave my college advisor a word of wisdom that saved me two years of my life, and over $20,000 in student loan debt, which I probably would not have been able to repay.

So what's the point?

Walking with God is immensely practical. Or should be.

So many people, including me, make crucial decisions based on what amounts to not much more than "a feeling." An inner "peace."

But I can tell you from many years of frustration and disappointment; feelings can be mighty fickle. We're very good at justifying something to ourselves if we really want it.

The Bible states:

"This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic." (James 3:15)

The world teaches you to "Follow your heart."  But God's Word teaches you to let your regenerated mind lead your heart. Big difference. The heart wants what the heart wants. But the mind that has wisdom will throw up objections and question whatever path the heart desires to take.

There is an endless amount of Godly wisdom in the Bible—"a more sure word of prophecy."

Here the writer of Proverbs speaks of the perils of adultery:

"My son, pay attention to my wisdom;
Lend your ear to my understanding,
That you may preserve discretion,
And your lips may keep knowledge.
For the lips of an immoral woman drip honey,
And her mouth is smoother than oil;
But in the end she is bitter as wormwood,
Sharp as a two-edged sword.
Her feet go down to death,
Her steps lay hold of hell.
Lest you ponder her path of life—
Her ways are unstable;
You do not know them.”

(Proverbs 5:1-6)

Oh....that we would heed the Word of the Lord and not trust just in our "feelings." We would be spared years of pain, heartache and destruction.

What happens so often, is we make a decision based on how we feel, and then we ask God to go along with it. We want His stamp of approval on something that He never actually authorized.

Or we make a rash decision because we have only two options, neither of which are great choices. Then we ask God to change our new situation into something more workable. But in truth, we should never have made the rash decision to begin with. We're just too darn impatient. You can't give God what's behind Door #1 and Door #2 and then tell Him to choose.

It doesn't work that way.

God is not obligated to honor our poor choices or bless our rash decisions.

The Bible primarily teaches us to get wisdom, not seek a peaceful "feeling."

“Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding.” (Proverbs 4:7)

—God is Love and Love Never Fails.