The Beauty of Truth

Happy weekend, dear gal. As we enter into…gee, I don’t know…week five, six, who knows…of social distancing, I think I’ve run the full gambit of emotions…three times! What about you? When the sun is shining and I manage to get out for a walk, I feel like I can handle this, I am strong, I am woman, hear me roar! When the rain is falling and I make a Target run and the baking aisle is completely empty, I want to go crawl in a hole. And when the days run into one another without variation and there’s no vacation on my calendar, well, I just want to sit in front of the television and escape.

What about you? How are you feeling? I would say, how are you feeling these days? But more than likely, you’re like me, and on any given day you feel completely different than you did just 24 hours earlier. Yeah, my emotions seem a little unwieldy these days.

The Difference Between a Gauge and a Guide

I was reminded this week that our emotions are gauges, but they are not trustworthy guides. We can’t rely on or allow our emotions to lead us in these uncertain days or any other times.

Just yesterday afternoon I was using my steamer to prep some dresses for a photo shoot. As I plugged the steamer in and set it up in my office, I was careful not to leave it unattended too long. Where I use the steamer, there’s a smoke detector that likes to blare loud and honky when even just a little of the innocuous steam teases its sensors. That smoke detector is usually a somewhat reliable gauge. But I since I know the truth behind what sets it off, I know not to gather my things and run out the door when the steam causes it to sound the alarm.

On the other hand, truth is a guide, and a trustworthy one at that. When we choose to lean into the truth rather than our emotions, we’ll stay on course and not be led astray.

and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

~ John 8:32

A Beautiful Woman…

A woman who is beautiful from the inside out is one who is not led this way and that by her emotions, but instead walks a steady path, guided by truth. She’s not temperamental, flighty or overly emotional. That doesn’t mean she doesn’t show emotion. But instead she demonstrates her emotions appropriately, with grace and without drawing attention to herself.

While we may live in a day when people are fascinated with drama queens, no one really respects them. On the other hand, the woman who keeps her emotions in check, realizing they are a gauge but not a trustworthy guide, is the kind of woman others gravitate to. Don’t you think?

How to Lean into the Truth Rather than Our Emotions

For me the problem is that my emotions often bully my mind, demanding to be heard and even obeyed. While the truth whispers softly and waits quietly to be consulted. If only it were the only way around!

I’ve found that the best way to lean into truth rather than my emotions is to follow the pattern set by David in the book of Psalms. King David was a man of heart. He had big emotions. I can relate. And he didn’t keep his emotions tucked inside, giving them no recourse. Instead, he spewed forth his unbridled emotions upon God.

Give ear to my words, O Lord;
    consider my groaning.
Give attention to the sound of my cry,
    my King and my God,
    for to you do I pray.

~ Psalm 5:1-2

Over and over through the Psalms we see evidence of David pouring out his words…his groanings to the Lord. And yet God called David a man after His own heart. He was not repulsed by David’s emotions, nor did He scorn David for having them.

The safest thing we can do with our emotions is express them openly and frequently…to God.

But in the safety of David’s relationship with his God, he also heard truth more clearly. I think that’s what can happen in our conversations with God, too. As we express our emotions to Him we position ourselves to hear the truth from Him.

And that’s when we have to make the decision to walk in that truth, trust it and lean into it, rather than continuing to nurse our faulty emotions.

What about you?

Do your emotions rule you? Or do you know how to express them in the safety of God’s presence and then lean into the truth? Have you discovered that indeed the truth sets you free? Or are you a slave to your emotions?

These are not easy questions, if we’re honest. And there is no quick fix. But wise is the woman who knows the difference between a gauge that’s getting heated up because of a little steam and a trustworthy guide. Let’s ask God to help us discern between the two.

Do you have thoughts you’d like to share about today’s topic? I’d love to hear from you today! I tend to take as much time off from work as I can during the weekends, so I may not reply to your comments unless you ask me a direct question. But I’d love for you to carry on this conversation in the comment section below. And you can know for certain that I read and value each and every comment. Please remember that I try to keep this space free from controversy, so let’s stay away from the topic of politics or other divisive issues.