I have been really emotional lately. Can anyone relate? Growing in faith is exciting and yet scary at the same time. So, can I trust my emotions? Are they a reliable indicator of right and wrong? Of good or bad decisions?

I have been watching a lot of holiday movies lately, especially when I just want a little noise while working on projects. I keep hearing the comment “follow your heart” or “follow your dreams.” This, according to the movie dialogues, will lead you in the right direction, lead you to a happy life.

I know that I am a person who FEELS a lot. My intuition is strong. I have gut feelings a lot about people and situations. It seems to be a blessing and a curse. When my intuition is on point, I feel positive, strong and confident. But when life feels crazy and turned upside down, I feel inadequate and unsure of the future. So, which feeling is correct? Which should I follow?

But, then I remember Jeremiah 17:9: “The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it?” How is it that one day my heart is telling me that I am strong and capable, but the next, I am not enough… you know… imposter syndrome… if people only knew…

Proverbs 20:9 brings up a valid question: “Who can say, ‘I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin’?” How can I clean my own heart and make it pure? How can I make sure my motives are not selfish and self-serving? How can I keep life in perspective and not fall for the lies and evil that seems to be pervasive all around?

Answer: “Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me.” Psalm 51:10. I believe that the Bible is God’s words to us, his way to communicate. I believe that it is able to teach us and lead us to growth in our Christian lives. I believe that God has given us the great Helper, the Holy Spirit (John 14:26, John 15:26) to teach us and remind us of Jesus’ teachings. I believe that apart from the work of the Holy Spirit and my faith in Jesus, my heart will lead me in crazy directions.

What am I learning from these verses today?

My feelings and intuition are not infallible, not always correct. My heart is definitely not steadfast! It wobbles all over the place due to stress, calm, world events, indigestion… anybody know that I’m talking about?

God gives us feelings, that is for sure. But our natural heart is not clean or pure. God is the one who can clean my heart and steady my feelings.

Prayer: Dear Father, thank you for your word. Thank you for giving me these verses today. I know that my feelings are not what I should be following. I am praying that the Holy Spirit will give me the strength and the courage to trust YOU for my future, to use my work, to supply my needs. I pray that I will have the strength to depend on you when my feelings are fluctuating like ocean waves. Help me to keep my eyes on Jesus so that I don’t sink into the ocean waves. I praise you for what you are doing now and trust that you will continue to lead me. Please create in my a clean heart, and renew steadfastness in my spirit! In your precious name I pray, Amen (Let it be so).

Check out the prayer journals. If you would like assistance with a structure of praying after reflecting on God’s word, these journals would be great for helping you to develop this process. https://lyndarobinson.com/my-books/