“It’s More Than A Feeling”
The other day the song “hooked on a
feeling” got stuck in my head. There
have been times when a random song pops in my head. One I haven’t heard for a
long while. Sometimes in those moments I don’t remember more than a specific
phrase sticks in my mind and cannot remember the rest of the song. When this happens, I’ve learned to think
about the phrase that sticks in my mind and learned that usually there is a
lesson for me to be learned.
The song stuck in my head was “hooked
on a feeling” by Joel Gustafsson but the song the words that came to mind were “It’s
more than a feeling” (a song by Boston). A little insight into my crazy mind. LOL. There
are a few things that come to mind with that phrase. First off is my faith and recent announcements.
Secondly it’s the feelings I’ve been having. Let’s look at those. I hope that
the insight helps someone.
It’s
more than a feeling with regards to my faith comes after years of practice. I
was once told that the best way to increase faith is to sacrifice something. I’ve
been doing that little by little over the past several years and thru life
experiences know that God directs his church here thru living prophets and
apostles. This is where the phrase “more than a feeling” really hits home, it
IS more than a feeling for me. I KNOW HE LIVES! I KNOW that the LDS Church is
HIS established church on earth in this dispensation.
What saddens me is all of the
controversy associated with a recent announcement by these prophets about (read
more about it here). In simple terms, you either believe or you don’t
that Christ’s church has once again been established on Earth today, that his
power and authority exists or you don’t.
If they do exist, and his prophets are guided by Him, then this
announcement comes from him and there is no reason to doubt. Too many people are using this as an excuse
to distance themselves from a lifestyle that isn’t always easy. Giving 10% of
your earnings plus a generous fast offering, living the word of wisdom, serving
others and sacrificing your time for His cause, among other things can all be
difficult to do. Making an excuse to say
His church is led by men and not Him undermines your entire faith.
Everyone has the right to make
their own decisions about life and how to live it. I respect your decisions.
Questioning your faith helps in many ways. I recommend asking the tough
questions. However, there is a time and place to express those questions. Social
media is not the place to do that. It is
just part of Satan’s plan to try and coerce others into falling away. Take your time to discuss your questions and
concerns with our Heavenly Father. He will answer you. Give Him time. Ponder the topic, have an intelligent
discussion with some friends about it privately.
As for me, I know what I know,
believe what I believe, and trust in Him to guide me. I’m here to talk to if
you need someone and know that I love and care for you regardless of your
beliefs.
“More
than a feeling” also hit me in another way.
For anyone that was unaware I recently had ACL reconstructive surgery to
fix the ACL tear I had playing soccer a few months ago. The pain has been
consistent, nagging, annoying. I’ve been “Feeling” it all day, all night. Sleep
has found a void in my life. My positive attitude feels to have left me a bit
and I have felt too much. It’s taken a toll on me.
More than a feeling helped me
remember that this is a reminder to me of what others around my might be
experiencing. My depression has creeped
back in, not full force but it is there lingering waiting for a place to enter
my life. It’s more than a feeling. I
once experienced about 3 years of debilitating depression. This is one of the
things I feel led to my divorce.
Thinking back, I realize one of the things I had in common was a
consistent regiment of ibuprofen (at that time it was to combat the pain of a
broken bone in my ankle and my consistently pushing myself athletically). Maybe
these feelings are more than a feeling but something physical.
I don’t know where I read or how
accurate it is but somewhere I read that pain meds don’t only treat and minimize
pain but they also minimize happiness, feelings in general. Now that I am aware of this, I can work to
help combat the impacts of it in my life. I must always remember the good I
have. Great family, great support, a heavenly father that loves me, and so much
more.
Lastly, “It’s more than a feeling”
my love for my wife and kids. Yes, love
is a strong feeling. As with any marriage, there is the honeymoon stage that a
couple goes thru and then the multiple stages beyond that so many people just
give up on their partner. My love for my family is more than a feeling. It’s
reality. It’s something that can’t change, they are my everything.
If this doesn’t make sense, it’s
because I’m sleep deprived and have been for over a month. Sleep comes in short bouts of 1-2 hrs at a
time. Just trying to do something that helps me focus my mind and hopefully get
me out of the funk I’ve felt. Ask those closest to me and they can likely tell
you that some of that positivity that I used to have has left and I need to get
it back. This is my first step to get it back. I plan to keep sharing with you
more frequently and some of them may even be coherent. Thanks for reading this
far. Please share thoughts and anything you’d like to hear about. Having a
topic to write on helps. Thanks!
Thanks for your post, Mike! I never considered that a song stuck in my head could be a lesson for me; I'll have to pay more attention from now on. And I completely agree with what you've shared here. I think people are so hasty to get answers to their questions that they look in the worst places. With so many voices present, it would be easy for a place like Facebook to undermine anyone's faith. I appreciate your testimony and am grateful your faith is so strong; for many of my friends, that hasn't been the case.
ReplyDeleteI can also relate to what you shared about your physical and emotional pain. I have a chronic illness that causes me frequent pain, sucks my energy, and often leaves me deeply depressed. But I've also learned a lot of compassion from it. I was diagnosed when I was fifteen, but most people with my condition are much older. I believe God has a reason for that. On my mission, for example, I related to and taught more elderly people than most other missionaries I knew. I understood something of their pains and weaknesses and could talk on the same level with them. So these kinds of things can be good for us. I try to remember that when I'm depressed and hurting.
But, like you, I have also felt like I'm in a funk lately. I used to be Mr. Positivity all the time, yet recently I have no idea how I did it. That's not the easiest habit to get back, unfortunately. But I think posts like this one help; it's good to be able to just talk about it. :)
Thanks for your post, Mike! I never considered that a song stuck in my head could be a lesson for me; I'll have to pay more attention from now on. And I completely agree with what you've shared here. I think people are so hasty to get answers to their questions that they look in the worst places. With so many voices present, it would be easy for a place like Facebook to undermine anyone's faith. I appreciate your testimony and am grateful your faith is so strong; for many of my friends, that hasn't been the case.
ReplyDeleteI can also relate to what you shared about your physical and emotional pain. I have a chronic illness that causes me frequent pain, sucks my energy, and often leaves me deeply depressed. But I've also learned a lot of compassion from it. I was diagnosed when I was fifteen, but most people with my condition are much older. I believe God has a reason for that. On my mission, for example, I related to and taught more elderly people than most other missionaries I knew. I understood something of their pains and weaknesses and could talk on the same level with them. So these kinds of things can be good for us. I try to remember that when I'm depressed and hurting.
But, like you, I have also felt like I'm in a funk lately. I used to be Mr. Positivity all the time, yet recently I have no idea how I did it. That's not the easiest habit to get back, unfortunately. But I think posts like this one help; it's good to be able to just talk about it. :)