Feelings wo-o-o feelings

Several years ago pre-Doctrines of Grace, a book was recommended to me when my ex- first moved out.  At that point, discernment was the last thing on my mind because all I wanted was comfort and hope.  It seemed reputable and a bestseller, which must be worth something.  Well written and emotionally compelling, the book pulled at my heart strings. I cried buckets, and upon finishing, I was convinced that God was a lovesick Father. Deep down humanity was longing for God and deeply sorry for their sin. The last thing to do is drive someone away by talking about repentance and sin, so the key is to be as nice as possible and not offend in any way.  It certainly made me feel better, but it also gave false hope for reconciliation.

In hindsight, I was banking on sentiment not truth. The book gave me what I wanted to hear and feel at the time. I didn't want to face the possibility of God actually ordaining my trial. I didn't want a God who doesn't give happy endings to his children.  I wanted a "God" who would sprinkle his magical love dust, and the world would be a better place for you and me, just wait and see...  So this was perfect for my itching ears.  I felt so close to "God" after reading this, but I was getting close to a lop-sided, watered-down, sentimentalized version, not the real thing.   The euphoria eventually gave way to reality, because an unbiblical depiction of God and man isn't much of a foundation on which to rest.  In the end, the hard-edged truth of God's absolute sovereignty saved me from despair, not the kinder, gentler, warm fuzzy.

So here are a few lessons I learned from letting emotional appeal snatch the reins from objective truth:

1. Obi-wan Kenobi was wrong.  I can't trust my feelings.  
2. God gave us emotions, but they're not the arbiter of truth. The only authority is the Word of God - the entire Word, not just verse picking.
3. Christianity isn't devoid of emotion, and an emotional response is not necessarily inappropriate. But does it arise from the Holy Spirit revealing biblical truth or psychological manipulation?
4. The truth is what sets us free, not emotions.