When I think of the word, “illusion” I think of “sight” mostly…. what I see.
Like, what I am seeing with my physical eyes, how the situation seems to appear on the surface—I realize could be an “illusion” compared to what is really happening “under the surface” or in the unseen realm, which is more real than we realize. (think of David and Goliath)
But I am realizing that an “illusion” can happen with all of the senses…
Sight, hearing, smell, taste, feeling…
The definition of “illusion” is:
-a thing that is or is likely to be wrongly perceived or interpreted by the senses.
-a deceptive appearance or impression.
-a false idea or belief.
In this day we are living in, there are so many ways that an “illusion” can affect us, and cause confusion to our senses.
I mean, just consider the illusion of a La Croix drink…. ?? How in the world do they make those things smell and taste the way they do and it apparently “just be water” and some “flavors” that have “nothing” in them? It has to be some kind of illusion to make our senses think we are drinking a soda or some kind of sweetened sugary drink, right? (Oh my, I love the Key Lime flavor, have you tried it? haha)
But this morning I am really thinking about the “illusion” of “how I feel”…
Sometimes what I “feel” in the moment can be so incredibly intense—emotions can seem so REAL. At times what I “feel” can seem more “real” than what I can see with my physical eyes or what I hear with my physical ears.
How I feel in the moment can seem like it’s “true” and yet, it can be an “illusion”…
I’m reminded, that just because I feel something, it doesn’t mean I have to allow myself to flow with it, doesn’t mean I have to allow my feelings to take me on a “roller coaster ride”, and let it “carry me all the way” until the “ride is over.”
How I feel in the moment, is just another kind of sense, and as a “highly sensitive person” (which seems almost like an understatement-ha!) the Lord has been teaching me how to take what I feel, and run it immediately, straight to Him.
“Father, this is how I’m feeling right now, and it feels very real… can You help me through this, can You help me navigate this, can You help me sort this? Can You remind me of Your truth, so that I can overcome and rise above how I’m feeling right now in this moment?”
Just because I feel a certain way, or I’m in a certain mood, or my emotions are wanting to sweep over me and have a “cause” and “effect” in my actions—it doesn’t mean I have to allow that to happen. He has given me power over that, whether I feel like I have the power over it or not. His Word says that I do.
And how wonderful is it that God can use our senses that He created in us, to show us things, to teach us things…. what a gift He intended our senses to be! And yet they can also take us over and lead us right to destruction, if we don’t submit our senses right back to Him…
“What is this, Lord? What’s this I am feeling right now? Will You show me what’s really going on here? Is this coming from my own heart, or is this coming from something around me that’s trying to sway me and get me all shaken up and distracted? Both? Will You help me with this, Father? Will You show me what You would like me to understand and perceive from this, Lord?”
“He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool: but whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered.” — Proverbs 28:26
“For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.”—1 John 3:20
“Fear thou not; for I [am] with thee: be not dismayed; for I [am] thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.”—Isaiah 41:10
“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:
(For the weapons of our warfare [are] not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)
Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ…” —2 Corinthians 10:3-5
Father, thank You for reminding me of this in a day when there are so many emotions, SO many things that feel so real in this world today, and yet there are so many illusions before us right now. As a rather sensitive person, this can drive me insane! But that’s not Your plan for me. ? You created these senses so that we could take what we see, hear, smell, taste, and feel…. right back to You, and we can talk about it with You, and You will teach us things and grow us a little more, and a little more. Lord, will You help me to be in tune with what is real and true in a time that the world is filled with such intense “illusion” right now?
…And then the moment comes, when everything “clears away” and all of it is suddenly “gone” and I realize, that it was just all another “illusion”…. and You’ve cleared it all away as You’ve gotten me through. ☀️ ??♀️
“The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.”—Psalm 18:2
-Heather ?