I want my teens to remember how to trust facts instead of feelings.

I began this series a long time ago. The very first thing I want my teens to remember is “I will always love you.” I wrote about how that despite our family mantra and consistent efforts to show love, my daughter went through a time when she didn’t feel loved. It broke my heart.

Some of it was normal teenage stuff, some was due to being in a large family, and some was probably hereditary mental issues, but it was the beginning of a very difficult time in her life and in our family life that God is still healing. 

I hope by now she absolutely knows we love her no matter what. We’ve proven that over and over. If her emotions and circumstances ever make her doubt it again, all she need to do is remember these recent days, weeks, and months. 

No matter what happens, I want my teenagers to remember facts are true even with feeling say the opposite. 

I want them to remember facts from the word of God, then facts from their family.

When my teens face struggles in life both now, and even more as they leave the security of home, the youth group, the small town . . . it will be easy to let feelings and satan’s lies make them doubt what they know to be true. 

But they aren’t the only ones.

That’s what we do, too. 

We know . . . 

• We are loved.
• we are never alone. 
• God WILL work all things together for good in our lives. 
• Our suffering is working in us an eternal weight of glory.
• Ultimately, good will win because God is good. 
• God is near to the broken-hearted.
• God will bring justice in His time.
• God has created us for purpose.
• We are fearfully and wonderfully made.

We know all of this and so much more, but still, we let our feelings and circumstances lead us to doubt these irrefutable facts. Of course, our teens will do the same.

Let us remind them by word and example how to trust facts instead of feelings. 

We can trust facts instead of feelings when we consciously silence the lies in our heads in four different ways.

How to trust Facts Instead of Feelings

Recite the Word of God.

Hiding God’s word in our heart is so important because we need to preach it to ourselves over and over. The Holy Spirit will bring scripture to mind as we need if we have spend time studying the Bible.

Replace the negative thoughts with the truth.

When you catch inner voice telling lies, stop yourself and change the lie to truth. When your feelings say, “No one cares,” change the narrative to “God cares and my family cares.”

Recall what God has done in our past.

If you’ve been a Christian very long, you can recall time when God has seen you through hard times in the past. Think of when you had similar feelings, but God worked out the situation or helped you to make it through.

Remember that feelings will change. 

My feelings are so fickle! I get frustrated with myself sometimes by how fast I can change from up to down. Like Elijah, one minute I am on the mountaintop praising God, and soon after I am in the desert of despair. 

Remember that these negative feelings aren’t permanent. You will get through them.

I do not mean we should deny our feelings. I cannot. Even when it’s hard, I have to feel what I feel. I can’t just push them aside and pretend everything is fine.

We can acknowledge how we feel, then cry, grieve, yell, or whatever we need to do. God created us with feelings, and sometimes we need to sit with them a while, but we can’t stay there. 

We feel our feelings, but must not let them define who we are or our view of the circumstances around us. Through Jesus we can have victory over hard emotions and learn how to trust facts instead of feelings. 

What helps you when your feelings are overwhelming? Share that with your teens and in the comments below!

See more in the series 30 Things I Want My Teens to Remember: