As opposed to a knowledge that God is within you, that isn't accompanied with a warm fuzzy or "blessed" feeling? And if the feeling goes away, do you suppose that suddenly God has left you?
2007-09-25 10:57:50 · 19 answers · asked by Acorn 7 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Linz: Good question. Sorry I was vague. By knowledge, I mean the thought -- unattached to any feeling at all -- that God is in you. A thought kinda like how you "know" that copper is a metal. I mean an ideation that doesn't "make you feel good" or bad or anything.
2007-09-25 11:57:38 · update #1
Feelings are caused by too many things that aren't necessarily from God. If you make a decision to believe in your head that God is living within you, and you make that thought a part of your everyday life, that is called FAITH.
2007-09-25 12:05:53 · answer #1 · answered by FrereJacques 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I depend very much on feelings. But not totally. For example, if I donate money to a charity, I know I'm doing God's will, because we are supposed to help the needy.
One of the things that happens when you're a Christian is you receive the Holy Spirit. This Spirit guides you to understanding. Part of that understanding is due to feelings such as the feeling of warmth and security and love you get when you pray or the feelings of joy you get when you know you've received a blessing from God or the feeling of amazement and happiness you get when you receive a message from God from some unexpected source.
If the feeling goes away, I do not think God has left me. I know in my heart that He's always there.
I find it interesting that so many claim to not operate based on feelings. However, they feel they are correct, because they feel that what they are doing is in line with what they feel the Bible tells them to do. Some of those who claim to not let feelings interfere are not being honest. For example, those who promote homophobia as "love" feel they are correct, even though homophobia is clearly in violation of the Golden Rule.
2007-09-25 20:58:19 · answer #2 · answered by Michael B - Prop. 8 Repealed! 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Knowing the will of God is not a feeling for me, although I know when my conscience tells me the difference from right and wrong. This is same basic type of internal activity I use when I am trying to decide on something. It takes some training, but it has worked for me, and at times performed miracles. Many people seem to confuse the warm and fuzzy feelings of joy with the consciousness of knowing a good thing. When they get that feeling they think it is of God, when it may not be. So I don't use those feelings as an indicator. My feelings fluxuate too much--I am too moody for my emotions to decide on miracles--so I use the conscience--is murder wrong? OF COURSE! Is kissing her wrong--OF COURSE! I don't even have to ask my self why--well because the answer that it would hurt my beloved. Is taking this job wrong? Is it right? My conscience speaks for me.
2007-09-25 18:05:19 · answer #3 · answered by Maximilian Septillion 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
You call it 'a warm fuzzy feeling' but to me it is not like that. When I go against the will of God I feel a heaviness, almost a pressure around my heart. I feel a lightness and clarity of purpose, the right thing to do. God never leaves you, remembers the foot prints in the sand.
2007-09-25 19:15:59 · answer #4 · answered by Coop 366 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I don't depend on them at all because I know that since there is no god, naturally he has no feelings. If someone does have such feelings, it is because he/she has been psyched up by some preacher somewhere who is pulling their strings.
Being a preacher has to be the easiest job in the world because they can say anything they want and don't have to prove it. Just say "It's god's will" or "the lord works in mysterious ways", etc. Pass those collection plates and get that gold.
2007-09-25 19:15:30 · answer #5 · answered by randy_plrm 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
The will of the god has always seemed like a lot for me to try figuring out. To say with any certainty that I know what the god wants me to do seems an arrogant concept.
2007-09-25 18:25:08 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I agree with pretty much everybody else. Feelings are too fickle. A bad ham sandwich can make you feel bad physically and emotionally. They say that "feeling follows thought." I think that is true. If you know something in your head, then you're heart will eventually catch up. Then after you know it, you might feel or intuit that it is right or wrong.
2007-09-25 19:03:30 · answer #7 · answered by Bearcub 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
God is present with me all the time.....when I feel he's not there it is I that have distanced myself from him when I turn back to him he is already there. My relationship with God is not based on how I feel or my emotions. If it was that would leave a lot of room for error because I know my moods can change and at times be fickle. My relationship with God is on solid ground. He is a God for eternity upon eternity, never changing, full of mercy and grace. It is his mercy that has brought us to here.
2007-09-25 19:49:47 · answer #8 · answered by Sage 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I think feelings are more useful in the negative - i.e. saying that I am NOT doing His will. But either way (especially for the positive) you have to compare against what God has already revealed in the Bible.
2007-09-25 18:10:45 · answer #9 · answered by Gary B 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I don't understand the difference between "a knowledge that God is within" and a "feeling" that he is. How do you define knowledge? Just trying to understand.
2007-09-25 18:00:22 · answer #10 · answered by Linz ♥ VT 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋