Gut Feeling

Do you ever get that "gut feeling" about something?  That "this doesn't feel right" feeling?  So many times we get that feeling and we brush it off.  Call it paranoia or being too sensitive or better yet....we think we are being judgmental towards someone.  
I can not tell you how many times I have had a bad feeling about someone or something only to speak up about it after the fact. Well, a while back I made a decision to start speaking up about my feelings.  Now I don't necessarily point at people and scream "EVIL" but I do have conversations with my hubby or even my children.
So now I have gotten to the point where I will pull him aside and say something like, "I can't put my finger on it, but something is off about XYZ." Sometimes we can talk it out and figure out why it is that I have that feeling but sometimes we just trust the gut feeling. That gut feeling has had me take a different road home, do a double check on door locks, not befriend someone, pull my children closer, and even choose to stay home sometimes.
I believe that God gives us this feeling as a way to protect us.  I think many times it is the Holy Spirit alerting us to something going on.  Who knows what things God has protected me from all because I have listened to to that "gut feeling".
One day we were at Walmart and I had the Littles with me.  They were probably 5 or 6 years old at the time.  We were in line and a gentleman in front of me turned and spoke to the two of them.  Bear turned and looked at me (as if to ask permission to speak to the man) and then with an ok nod from me, he proceeded to have a small conversation.  But not Pey. She turned towards me and step very close almost like she was hiding.  I didn't push, I didn't even draw attention to what she was doing.  I simply put my arm around her and let her stay close.  After the man left and we went on our way I had a conversation about what had happened.  I praised Bear for getting permission to speak to a stranger and then I ask Pey what had happened.  I asked her to try and explain how she felt.  Of course she couldn't so I asked,"Did you feel happy, sad, scared, or embarrassed, when the man spoke to you?"  And she said,"I kind of felt embarrassed, but kind of scared."  What she was feeling was that "gut feeling" I am talking about.  And I know it because I felt it too.  The truth is, when this man spoke to my children I immediately wanted to walk away.  But we were in the line at the store.  So I stayed.  What I didn't tell you, was that I had this entire conversation with my children while we sat on the bench in the front of Walmart, because my "gut feeling" said wait to go outside.
Now I can't tell you that this man was some pedophile or on America's Most Wanted, but I can tell you that 2 out of the 3 people that met him that day in Walmart, had a bad feeling about him.  My point in telling you this story is to encourage you to tech your children to pay attention to how they "feel" in situations.  If they "feel" unsafe then they probably are.  If the "feel" like someone or something is out of place, it probably is.  People can be very fake and can try to make you feel like everything is ok But trusting the Holy Spirit to lead a guide you is something that is deeper than that surface level stuff that people can put on.
That day in the store I told both of my children about "gut feelings". I told them how God does that to protect them.  I also went on to tell them that they will never get into trouble for being rude to someone if they have a gut feeling and act on it.  I guess worse case scenario is that they would be wrong and they would offend someone.  But I can apologize for that.  I can't apologize for someone harming my children or harming me.

2 Timothy 1:7
For God has not given us a spirit of fearfulness, but one of power, love and sound judgement.


LL