My Feelings Are Not Truth; Christ Is

These past couple of months, there’s a phrase that I have had to remind myself of quite frequently. I don’t know where it came from or where I heard it, but it is not original to me. The saying goes, “My feelings are not truth; Christ is.”¹

In the midst of trials I have been going through, I’ve learned that my emotions are not to be trusted. I may be feeling great one moment and low the next. I can be in the valley, but then I am quickly brought up to the mountaintop. Emotions are not a steady car ride on a flat, straight road. They are an unpredictable roller coaster with drops, twists, and turns. 

During this time, I have reminded myself that my emotions are not to be trusted, for they are not ultimately true. They are certainly an indication of how I feel or am interacting with my circumstances, but I cannot put my faith or trust in my emotions. I should not make decisions or set goals purely on my emotions. I should not act rashly based on how I feel in one isolated moment. My feelings are not truth, but Christ is. 

When our feelings are out of whack, we need to be reminded of what is true. We need to be reminded that God is sovereign and in control. We need to be reminded that He is always good and His steadfast love endures forever. We need to be reminded that we are secure in Christ and that He will never let us go, no matter what may happen in life. We need to cling to the Word and remind ourselves of the truth.

But most importantly, we look to Jesus and hold fast to our Savior during these times, for He is truth. Jesus said He is the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6). When Jesus was on trial, Pilate asked Him, “what is truth?” (John 18:38). Little did he know, he was speaking to the Truth. 

When we are feeling a lot of feelings and our circumstances and emotions are a tumultuous storm, we must hold fast to Christ. He can be trusted. He will never let us go. He loves us with an everlasting love and proved His love in dying for us. When life isn’t good and you don’t understand what is going on, He is good, and He will walk through the valley of the shadow of death with you. Your feelings are certainly not truth; but Christ is. He is the Truth. Run to Him and not your own understanding.

“Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.” Psalm 43:5

1. I’m not sure where this phrase originated from. I tried searching online to find it and couldn’t find a source, but there is a similar quote from John Piper: “My feelings are not God. God is God.” ↩︎