NEGATIVE FEELINGS

The book, Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff…and it’s all small stuff, written by Richard Carlson was at one time on the New York Times’ best selling list.

In my opinion, the greatest fault with the book is that it leaves out the ‘God-factor.’ When you factor God into your life and world-view you are going to come to far different conclusions much of the time.

On page 218 of his book Dr. Carlson says, “Contrary to popular belief, negative feelings don’t need to be studied and analyzed. When you analyze your negative feelings, you’ll usually end up with more of them to contend with.

The next time you’re feeling bad, rather than getting stuck in ‘analysis paralysis,’ wondering why you feel the way you do, see if instead you can use your feelings to guide you back in the direction toward serenity. Don’t pretend that the negative feelings don’t exist, but try to recognize that the reason you’re feeling sad, angry, stressed, or whatever is that you are taking life too seriously – you are ‘sweating the small stuff.’” I have to ask the question, “is this really small stuff?” Further, are all negative feelings wrong?

I want to explore two aspects of negative feelings; one that I think is positive and one that is negative. So, ‘analyze your feelings’ and see where you fall.

Prior to the author’s quote above, he suggests that one can know if he is headed on the right path based upon his feelings. The impression I’m left with is that one can allow his ‘feelings be his guide.’ That is not a position I can take as a Christian. Our only guide is to be the Word of God. Feelings are arbitrary. Feelings can also change from day to day. Men like Hitler were no doubt led by their feelings. If you eliminate the standard by which all else is judged, ‘every man does what is right in his own eyes.’ That is what is guiding our society today and it’s a pathway to destruction. The Bible is the only standard that does not change. Today the Bible is treated as an arbitrary book and, if used at all, is interpreted according to feelings. That’s a subject in itself I’ll save for another month. I will get back to two aspects of negative feelings.

POSITIVE, NEGATIVE FEELINGS. Not all negative feelings are bad. That’s because God created man with a conscience that will tell him what is right and what is wrong. But the conscience can be dulled, it can be seared, and, ignored enough, it becomes silent.

I Timothy 4:2 “ Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron.” While we can’t be led by our conscience, we need to listen to it.

When we as Christians are caught up into the things of this world, God strikes our consciences with negative feelings and stress to draw us back into fellowship with Him. Read the account of David’s negative feelings in Psalm 51. He was out of fellowship with God.

In this confession he tells us his very bones felt crushed under the weight of God’s judgment. I think we can clearly make the conclusion that if negative feelings brought upon us through the ministry of the Holy Spirit, brings us to the point of confession and restoration, as it did David in Psalm 51, then negative feelings are a positive thing. Those are feelings of conviction. John 16:8.

NEGATIVE FEELINGS THAT ARE DESTRUCTIVE. Satan wants to destroy the joy and effectiveness of the Christian. With our salvation secure forever, he can do nothing about that. So, he works on us to make us ineffective in our Christian walk. He leads us into temptation knowing our fellowship with God will be broken once we submit to sin. However, we don’t need Satan around to tempt us into sin. The old nature is always trying to raise his ugly head and say ‘follow me.’

One of the greatest tools Satan uses against us is our past – either recent or long past. He wants to convince us that we are unworthy to be a child of God. (He’s right, but we still are, by the grace of God through faith in Christ.) Satan wants us to believe God could never use someone like us. He wants us to bask in our guilt, convinced we can only watch as others, more worthy, carry on the work. One passage that I personally find very comforting is Philippians 3:13-14. “But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” I, too, face all those feelings of defeat in my own life but I find comfort in knowing that Paul did too. He said, “I’ll put it behind me and move on.” That’s a good idea! Satan’s goal is to try to destroy your feelings of worth; don’t allow him. Our worth is found in Jesus Christ. That makes us very important to God. How important?

• Important enough that Christ went to Calvary for my sin. He would have died for me if I had been the only person. That makes me important.


• Important enough that Christ has made me a part of His Church – that’s important.


• Important enough that God says, ‘I have a plan for the future and for man and I want to use you to help Me carry out that plan’ – that’s important.


• Important enough that Christ said He has gone on ahead to prepare a place for me that I might be with Him forever – that’s important.


• Important enough that He would call me one of His children – that’s important.


• Important enough that He would have the Holy Spirit take up residence within me – that’s important.


• Important enough that He would love a sinner like me.



I am important in the eyes of God and to let Satan convince me otherwise is foolish