At the close of a gospel meeting a young girl was anxious about her soul. A lady endeavored, with the best of intentions, to help her. After a few sentences she laid her hand upon the girl's arm and inquired in a kindly tone: "Do you feel any better?”
"No, ma'am," sobbed the girl.
"Then get down on your knees with me." Both knelt, and the lady said: "Now I want you to say this after me. Are you ready?”
"Yes, ma'am.”
"Our Father which art in heaven.”
"Our Father which art in heaven," murmured the girl as best she could between her sobs. And so they went through to the end of what is known as the Lord's Prayer.
They rose from their knees at the end, and the lady cheerfully said: "Now you feel better, don't you?”
What an easy-going, superficial treatment this was for a seeking soul! The poor girl felt no better: she wept on.
Plainly the lady was attempting to put the cart before the horse. What the girl needed was to receive the Lord Jesus Christ as her Savior. Then, indeed, she would have cause to be much happier.
Clearly then, the burning question is not what one feels. Feelings are often deceptive; facts are stubborn things. To start examining your feelings and occupying yourself with them is to lose sight of the objective and to confuse the real issue. The only right course is to go straight to the root of the matter. Acknowledge your sins and seek the Savior.