The Lord says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you.” – Psalm 32:8 (NLT)
We’ve all been there. You come across a situation that pulls you in two different directions. Your head is telling you that it is a no-go zone, but your heart is saying “let’s go.”
It is a battle that we all have from time to time. Our mind is logically looking at what is happening. Our feelings ignoring what we are seeing and hoping for the outcome we really want or maybe what we don’t want. Feelings are based on a combination of past experiences and our deep down wants and needs, hopes, and fears.
The confusion that results can cause us distress. We have no idea what to do. Should we go with our head or with our heart? Logic over emotion or emotion over logic.
Thankfully, as Christians we have someone who can help clear the confusion. God will show us which choice He wants to make. The answer may not come straight away, even though we wish it would. For whatever reason, God wants us to go through these battles and sometimes it takes a little bit of time to learn and to know His will for us. it may also be a time for us to learn to depend on Him and to pray to Him more than we usually do.
Prayer is talking to God. Talking to God about our problems, worries and other aspects of our lives helps to unload and share our concerns. God is willing listener, who doesn’t mind being burdened with our confusion and distress. He knows exactly what is going on with everything and anyone involved in our dilemma. If you can be sure of nothing else, then you can be sure of this – He knows exactly why our head is saying no and our heart is saying yes.
Knowing that God knows what is really going on, gives us comfort and peace. There will still be confusion and distress as you agonise over the situation, but you will have that deep-down knowledge that God cares for you. He cared so much that He sent Jesus to helps during these trying times. Jesus as a man living here on earth, would have had many times when his heart said yes but his head said no. It’s something all of us go through multiple times during our lives.
Jesus knows that sometimes our feelings can cloud our thinking and vice versa. This understanding is something he takes to God on our behalf when we are trying to work out which way to go. No matter the outcome, with Jesus on our side showing us the way, the battle between our emotions and mind will result in the glorification of God.
Originally published November 2018