Most human beings have them at one time or another throughout their life. Some of us trust our gut feelings more; others, less. Some of us go into Risk Assessment mode: others simply make a snap decision and implement. Gut Feelings are the simple result of the blending of intuition and discernment based on accumulated knowledge and past experience. In other words, living life. These processes operate subconsciously until needed; then they percolate to the surface to play their part in our decision-making process. Thus the question before us becomes— To what degree can we trust our gut feelings?
The question points us back to at least two other questions about ourselves.
1. To what degree do I feel safe in life?
2. To what degree do I trust anything, or, anyone (for that matter)?
Having a sense of personal safety lays a broad foundation for so much of life’s quirky situations. If you feel safe within yourself, you are more prone to serve others, to make decisions more readily, to be able to care even when the road ahead becomes unclear. Developing an ability to trust people— as dangerous as it might often prove, is still our best ally in times of need, or when teamwork is essential to get the job done. It is also an essential thread in the very fabric of human relationships.
Being safe (personal security) and trusting others are both outgrowths of practice and knowing your core values. The more you can define your core values, beliefs, and personhood, the more safety and trust will be able to function freely in your life. Thus, gut feelings join our inner and outward selves into a unified presentation to others of who we truly are. Gut feelings align with confidence and accomplishment to forge our character and to create a stronger person, one whose assurance in making correct decisions proves true. Then, other people are more comfortable trusting us, more comfortable following our leadership.
Now let’s throw trusting God into the mix. Acting on a gut feeling about trusting Him can add a great deal of certitude to your overall confidence in facing a difficult dilemma. Try it. You’ll like it. [Except for the first time. That’s scary.]
Take the plunge,
Gary
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Clueless Christianity 