My wife's family introduced me to Euchre several years ago. For all of you who don't live north of the Ohio river, it's a card game where having a "trump card" is vitally important. The trump card is what wins the hand, regardless of anything else that has been played.
For me, in my life, I struggle with what my trump card is. As a Christian, I desire for Scripture to be my trump card. Whatever Scripture says should be the final word on the matter on everything- from career decisions to right vs wrong to use of money and everything in between.
However, I'm afraid that many times, my feelings are the trump card. For example, Scripture tells me that God will never leave nor forsake me. However, there are times when I don't feel close to God. I can't hear His voice, I don't know if He cares- I'm not really even sure He is there. I am inclined to let my feelings trump what Scripture says. I guess that is part of being human.
I see this in American Christians all the time. In our society, "how we feel" has become the final word on everything. If we "feel" something is wrong, it is wrong. If we "feel" something is right, it is right. If we "feel" that someone doesn't like us, they don't like us. If we "feel" that Scripture is harsh, or wrong, or judgmental, then it is harsh, wrong, and judgmental.
I think one of the ways God calls us to grow as Christians is to keep the "feelings" (that He created, by the way- there is nothing wrong with them) in their right place. Feelings were never meant to lead. Despite what the Jedi teach us, feelings are not always based on truth and following them isn't always the right course. We have allowed how we feel about something to become the trump card in our lives, and by doing so, allowed these subjective, transient thoughts determine right and wrong, good and bad, true and false.
As the Holy Spirit continues to mold and make us, rounding off our rough edges, we need to move Scripture to its right place in our lives. It is the trump card. Scripture, not how we "feel," has the final say on values, morals, use of time, use of money, relationships, love, career, etc. This is the call for all those who claim Jesus as Lord and Savior.
For me, in my life, I struggle with what my trump card is. As a Christian, I desire for Scripture to be my trump card. Whatever Scripture says should be the final word on the matter on everything- from career decisions to right vs wrong to use of money and everything in between.
However, I'm afraid that many times, my feelings are the trump card. For example, Scripture tells me that God will never leave nor forsake me. However, there are times when I don't feel close to God. I can't hear His voice, I don't know if He cares- I'm not really even sure He is there. I am inclined to let my feelings trump what Scripture says. I guess that is part of being human.
I see this in American Christians all the time. In our society, "how we feel" has become the final word on everything. If we "feel" something is wrong, it is wrong. If we "feel" something is right, it is right. If we "feel" that someone doesn't like us, they don't like us. If we "feel" that Scripture is harsh, or wrong, or judgmental, then it is harsh, wrong, and judgmental.
I think one of the ways God calls us to grow as Christians is to keep the "feelings" (that He created, by the way- there is nothing wrong with them) in their right place. Feelings were never meant to lead. Despite what the Jedi teach us, feelings are not always based on truth and following them isn't always the right course. We have allowed how we feel about something to become the trump card in our lives, and by doing so, allowed these subjective, transient thoughts determine right and wrong, good and bad, true and false.
As the Holy Spirit continues to mold and make us, rounding off our rough edges, we need to move Scripture to its right place in our lives. It is the trump card. Scripture, not how we "feel," has the final say on values, morals, use of time, use of money, relationships, love, career, etc. This is the call for all those who claim Jesus as Lord and Savior.
No comments:
Post a Comment