"What You Feel Vs. What Is Real"

I was introduced recently to the Sovereign Grace Ministries, and have purchased, in addition to a couple of music CDs, what is known as the little orange book--"The Cross Centered Life" by C. J. Mahaney--as a starter. I was reading the chapter "What You Feel Vs. What Is Real--Basing Your Faith in Christ's Finished Work at the Cross" and it spoke to me personally.

An excerpt from the chapter:

We can either listen to ourselves and our constantly changing feelings about our circumstances, or we can talk to ourselves about the unchanging truth of who God is and what He's accomplished for us at the cross.

Far too often we choose to passively listen to ourselves. We sit back and let our view of God and life be shaped by our constantly shifting feelings about our everchanging circumstances. Life is busy. Often hard. Full of distractions.

...our emotions shouldn't be vested with final authority. This should be reserved for God's Word alone.

I find myself being described by C. J. Mahaney in this chapter as I far too often find my feelings speaking louder than God's promises, especially during times of physical weakness. I've been having some stomach ailments for a while and am going through some tests ordered by the doctor. I pray that despite the physical pain that I am feeling, God grants me the ability to "live in the good of what is true and unchanging--God's grace to me through the cross." And then I shall know the pain too has been for His glory.