“Never let what you feel make you forget what’s real. Facts over feelings. Don’t let your emotions overpower your intelligence.” -unknown
Learning the lesson shared in that quote is something that took me making a few really bad personal life choices in my early adult life and going through the horrible pain that resulted from those bad choices before I finally realized where I had gone wrong. It wasn’t until after I went through a divorce during my 20’s and then several years dating the wrong types of guys that I finally realized that I needed to stop letting my emotions dictate important life decisions and I needed to start using my intelligence that I had gained from the things my parents, and my grandparents, and my church leaders, and my teachers, and my mentors had all taught me along with all the personal study I had done on my own over the years. I realized that I needed to start studying out the facts for myself by doing my own research and gathering the right information – then I needed to actually remove my emotions from the decision making process so I could honestly weigh out all those facts and allow them to point me to the right answer. Then only after I had considered all those facts and used my own intelligence to see what answer they pointed to (again being devoid of emotion), then I needed to take that answer to God and ask him to confirm that this decision was right.
It may sound weird for me to suggest being devoid of emotion during that process but it is actually necessary because emotions have been proven to distort our thinking. Research shows that when our emotions are excited we tend to underestimate risks and when our emotions are sad we tend to settle for less than we deserve. Emotions tend to make us overly focused on what we want right now rather than allowing us to focus on what will be best for us long term.
I also believe God gave us intelligence for a reason – I believe He expects us to use it. He expects us to set our emotion aside and genuinely weigh out the facts of situations, using our own intelligence to recognize right and wrong decisions. I don’t believe that God will or does make our decisions for us. I believe He sent us to this earth to give us the opportunity to use our agency and our intelligence to make our own choices. Because God knows that the only way we will ever be fit to be a God or Goddess ourselves someday is if we have learned to use our own intelligence to make right decisions.
And I believe that once we have appropriately used our intelligence to make a right choice, we can then then take it to God and ask for Him to confirm it is correct. If it’s correct I believe God will give us a feeling of peace about our decision, and if that feeling of peace doesn’t come I think God is letting us know he expects us to re-examine the facts again and ensure we haven’t allowed our emotions to cloud our judgment.
“Never let what you feel make you forget what’s real” because:
“Tomorrow’s blessings and opportunities depend on the choices we make today.” – James Faust
~Amy Rees Anderson
10 Comments
Thanks for your wise help Amy 🙂
Wonderful posting and a very good lesson for all. I’m still waiting a reply to my email. Thanks
You have such rich wisdom. You are a testament to biblical truth.
If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.
James 1:5-6 ESV
Great job!
Wonderful posting . Amazing writeup.
Wonderful writeup
Wonderful
Thanks alot have learn from it
I appreciate Amy
I came to the right place at the right time, I needed to be here.
My emotions has been making God purpose in my life delayed, I am asking God why am where I never wished or prayed for. But in FACTS
I am going through a lot of difficulties because I just moved to another city, the owner just sold the apartment so I have to move out. Where would I have been, I don’t know people too well to accommodate me. The only good friend I had is married with a baby and also pregnant and her husband. she asked me to come stay with them but the fact is there’s no such place for me there, she like to be responsible for people especially her loved ones, she’s empathetic. “ I don’t want to take advantage of the open hands she’s given me. She’s been the truest person supporting me in this difficult moment, my ex also but my emotions and the boundaries that is missing is causing confusion and it is like I am in a ruler coaster. I never prayed or wished for we to be back together infact I always thanked God I was able the leave him because it took me courage to leave the first time. Ever since I broke up with him this woman here has change. I am proud of the woman I am becoming. So finding myself back here as we crossed part again, i didn’t look for him when i entered the city, we never spoke or seen each other for at least more than two Years: I found out I still care for him and let my emotions have the best of me, ignore the fact that it will only get worse with this person. Now I know that i have been loosing focus of the reality and my goal plans. I had a revelation before it became reality and it is happening and am asking God what is the message he’s trying to passed to me to get through this life difficult and get to where I desire to be. Impatient and letting my emotions and lack of boundaries for myself and toward him, also fear of abandonment control things for me. I now I get message and I wish I had understood and expected my reality before now. I am just to choose between what’s important for my life goals or what’s important for my emotions. Thanks again.