On Monday, I didn’t go for a walk because I felt too tired. On Thursday, I didn’t read my Bible because I felt stressed about what I needed to do next. On Saturday, I didn’t work on an important project because I felt overwhelmed by it. And on Sunday, I didn’t do something kind for a family member because, well, I guess it felt slightly inconvenient.
Sometimes, I let my feelings dictate what I do (and don’t do).
Can you relate?
When we’re stressed out or struggling, it’s easy to view life solely through the lens of our feelings. And when we do that, our actions naturally follow suit. Fear starts leading us toward avoidance, for example, or feeling pressured starts prompting us to take shortcuts where we otherwise wouldn’t. Living by our feelings can happen almost automatically at times…and yet look at what Ecclesiastes 8:6 says to us:
“For there is a time and procedure for every purpose, although the misery of man is heavy on him.” (WEBBE)
Even when we’re stressed or struggling, there is a right way and time to do things. There is a “time and procedure” that even our loudest feelings shouldn’t get to overrule.
I’ll be the first to admit that this truth convicts me and calls me to apply it, personally… but it also makes me wonder: How, exactly, can we know what the right “time and procedure” are for the matters in our lives, today?
Thankfully, we find insight into this question just one verse earlier, in Ecclesiastes 8:5. It says that the “…wise heart will know the time and procedure.”
Cultivating a wise heart—one that is both God-revering and practical-thinking—helps us discern the right “time and procedure” for the matters we face and it also safeguards us from living solely by our feelings.
So, let’s explore what this looks like, practically.
God-revering:
Scripture speaks of the “wise heart” knowing what to do here, and it reminds me of the words penned in Proverbs 9:10. He said that “the fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom.” (You can read more about that Proverbs passage here).
Fearing (or revering) God involves standing in awe of His goodness and humbly honoring Him in response. This is where having a ‘wise heart’ begins and it’s a place we need to intentionally revisit on tumultuous days.
When our feelings would have us bark sharp words, escape into vices or take those shortcuts we really shouldn’t, we need to ask ourselves:
What am I standing most in awe of here? And who am I trying to honor with my response?
Is it my feelings? Myself? Or the Lord?
Our feelings may always be tugging at us, but if we’ll set our hearts on revering God most of all, those feelings will be tempered. They’ll be kept in check by the counsel of Scripture and the prompting of the Holy Spirit.
Instead of barking sharp words, we’ll accept the Spirit’s invitation to restraint. Instead of self-medicating our emotions with drinking, scrolling or some other vice, we’ll find healthier ways to process things. And instead of turning to expedient (but dishonest) solutions, we’ll seek to solve our problems in ways that honor God, most of all.
It’s true that this kind of living isn’t always easy, but it’s still worth it. When we choose to honor God over our feelings, we rarely regret it later. After all, honoring God is what we were made for. And one day, when we’re called to give account for every word, thought and deed, I know we won’t regret the times we put Him first.
Honoring God is part of the “time and procedure” our feelings should never get to overrule. But so is practical-thinking.
Practical-thinking:
You know, the word for “heart” in this verse encompasses more than just our sentimental hearts. It speaks of our whole inner person, which includes the thinking mind.[1]
So, if we want to discern the proper “time and procedure” for matters, we need to realize: our God-given minds have a part to play. Now, for many, this could go without saying, but we shouldn’t let our feelings talk us out of common sense.
I’ll use myself as an example:
If my mind knows that a project deadline is nearing, but my feelings would rather avoid the work, who should win that conflict—my mind or my feelings?
And if my mind knows that consistent exercise is good for me, but my feelings would rather binge-watch sitcoms, who should win that argument—my mind or my feelings?
The answer is usually: my mind.
Now, this is not to say we should be uncompromising in our routines or rigidly glued to our way of thinking. We know that everyone needs a break sometimes and, even more importantly, that when our thinking conflicts with God’s leading, we should always defer to Him.
But on the whole, listening to our minds (and not only to our feelings) can keep us on a healthy track for living.
Scripture says that the “…wise heart will know the time and procedure. For there is a time and procedure for every purpose, although the misery of man is heavy on him.” Ecclesiastes 8:5b-6
So, let’s consider: How might our Monday and Sunday–and every day in between–look different this week if we prioritized God-revering and practical-thinking over merely living by our feelings?
As we look to the Lord in this way, may He order the timing and procedure of every detail in our lives.
[1] https://biblehub.com/hebrew/3820.htm
This devotion is based on one of the Scriptures from my reading plan: “Wisdom from Above” which covers Proverbs, Ecclesiastes & Job. To receive a copy of the reading plan (and future reading plans), sign up for the email list below. Hope you’ll follow along!
Written by Paige K. Burhans
©2024 Paige K. Burhans
Scriptures taken from the World English Bible British Edition. Public Domain.
