Truth Over Feelings: Even When the Wheels Come Off

Do you ever wonder if God is real?

Or is that just me?

When you pray and you study and you rinse and repeat until you feel like it’s all you are doing …

But it all stays the same.

Seeing God At Work

Yesterday, I had to adjust my plans to get everyone where they needed to be on time, which meant dropping off my son first instead of the planned second. We passed a wreck on the way to drop off my husband and I realized we would have been in that very spot if things hadn’t had to be shifted. “That could have been us.”

Then I heard about insurance premiums going up and I told my husband that was probably the reason he had gotten the job he’d just been offered when he got it. It would shift us to private insurance instead.

This morning, I was up and going before sunrise (a special shout-out to Daisy for her unrequested prayer support in that area). I went for a walk and was greeted by turtles, ducks, blue herons, and lots of dogs (and their people). It was an amazing morning.

When the Wheels On The Bus Fall Off

And then the wheels fell off …

And then my tooth broke.

For real.

Suddenly, all the blessing evaporated. I couldn’t focus enough to choose truth over feelings.

Feelings won!

I dropped my head onto my desk and tried not to cry. There’s no crying in public time. And even though it’s just my husband and my son, but still … no crying.

Have you ever had your head on your desk, fighting back the tears?

Sigh!

Seeking Truth Over Feelings

This morning’s readings included Psalm 37. It’s one of my favorites … full of promises and comforts (and probably part of the reason my walk was so pleasant).

I read it. I read it again. I read it again because the hurt overwhelms the comprehension.

When I close my eyes and remember that my hurt is a feeling … my frustration is a feeling … my despair is a feeling … and feelings don’t change the Truth, then I’m ready to read Psalm 37 again … and to have the ears to hear and the eyes to see.

This isn’t a physical battle … although it sure feels like it (see, there those feelings go creeping into the equation). The battle is spiritual. Everything, from what I wear to what I eat to how I look to how I walk to even the hairs on my head (or the teeth in my mouth) is known by God. He doesn’t miss any of it.

Wrangling the feelings shifts my perspectives.

The Truth

Yes, my tooth broke, but it’s an inconvenience, not a hurt. It’s the edges of the tooth. With a little dental wax, I can keep going until I get a chance to visit the dentist.

Yes, the bills came, but it’s because the insurance hasn’t been filed. I just have to contact the company and get that process started.

When I choose to lean into Him and call out to Him– and when the waves are crashing over the walls of the boat, who else would you call out to – then I can rest in His knowing.

But it wouldn’t hurt my feelings if He would let me in on that knowing just a little bit today.

P.S. What’s your favorite verse from Psalm 37, or what is your go-to “I need a boost” verse?