“Cancel Conference” has been on my to-do list every day for 3 weeks. I just keep arrowing it forward. Because canceling means letting go of something I really, really want to do.
This is the conference I attended last summer that connected me with my tribe. Other women who are called by God to speak and to write. It was the conference where I met someone who gave my blog national exposure. And where a book publishing editor gave me a referral into an important year-long program that is building on those same skills.
Fact - Attending this conference is a huge commitment of time and financial resources that we just do not have right now. Feeling – I will be missing a key step forward in my ministry if I do not go as well as a vacation, fun, excitement and motivation.
Our culture celebrates, applauds and encourages us to act and to make decisions based on what we feel. And although God certainly created us as emotional beings, too often decisions based on emotions are rarely our wisest choice.
I like the New Living Translation of Romans 12:2, “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”
Feelings change depending on the people and circumstances surrounding us. They can be affected by the weather, hormones, a driver who cuts us off, a difficult co-worker and so on. We need to strive to put faith and facts in front of our feelings. We need to live from a place of faith that is built solidly on the fact (truth) of God and his Word.
Hebrews 13:8 tells us that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. He is unchanging. His Word endures forever (Isaiah 40:8). Matthew 24:35 says, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.”
In my conference situation, I need to let go of the emotion surrounding the event/decision and be a wise steward of the resources God has given me instead. I need to trust that in God’s timing and God’s plan other doors for my ministry will be opened.
If you are facing decisions right now controlled by feelings instead of faith and facts I want to encourage you to fix your eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal (2 Corinthians 4:18).
Let’s choose today to walk by faith and not by sight. Let’s look for answers to difficult decisions in the truth of God’s Word and not in our fluctuating feelings. Let’s choose to make decisions by faith first, fact second and our feelings third.
Precious Father, Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer (Psalm 19:14). Amen.