Facts (Truth) Don’t Care About Your Feelings, Said Someone

Truth doesn’t shift with our emotions—it anchors them.

You’ve probably heard the saying: “Facts don’t care about your feelings.” It’s often tossed around in debates to highlight the tension between what is true and what we feel about it. And while it might sound blunt, there’s wisdom to it—especially when we look at truth through the lens of Scripture.

God created our emotions. They are not accidents or flaws in our design. Joy, sorrow, anger, compassion—these are all part of being made in the image of a God who Himself expresses emotion. But here’s the key: emotions were never meant to determine truth. They serve another purpose entirely.

Feelings Are Real, But They Aren’t Truth

Feelings are real experiences. They tell us what’s going on inside of us, but they don’t always tell us what’s real outside of us. For example, you may feel afraid in the dark, but that doesn’t mean danger is actually present. You may feel unloved after being hurt, but that doesn’t mean you are not loved by God or others.

Truth, on the other hand, is fixed. It’s unchanging. Jesus said in John 17:17, “Your word is truth.” God’s Word is the standard—it does not move when our emotions swing high or low.

The Purpose of Feelings

So if emotions aren’t meant to decide truth, what are they for?

1. Indicators, not Dictators. Emotions are like warning lights on a car dashboard. They show us something is happening beneath the surface, but they aren’t the full diagnosis.

2. Connectors, not Controllers. Feelings help us connect with God and with others. Think of how compassion moves us to action or how joy draws us into worship. They aren’t meant to control us but to deepen our relationships.

3. Responses, not Realities. Feelings are often our response to reality, not the reality itself. They remind us that we are human—finite, dependent, and in need of God’s truth to guide us.

Truth Anchors Feelings

When emotions rise, truth steadies. That’s why the psalms are filled with raw honesty—David often poured out his fear, anger, or despair. But notice what he consistently did: he anchored his emotions in God’s truth.

• “Why are you cast down, O my soul? … Hope in God; for I shall again praise him.” (Psalm 42:11)

• Even when feelings said “all is lost,” truth said “God is faithful.”

As Christians, we don’t ignore our emotions or pretend they don’t matter. Instead, we bring them under the authority of truth. Truth sets the boundary lines so feelings can serve their proper purpose.

Bringing It Together

God gave us feelings to enrich life, not to rule it. They help us empathize, rejoice, grieve, and connect deeply—but they are unreliable guides for truth. The culture often tells us, “Follow your heart.” But Scripture reminds us in Jeremiah 17:9 that the heart can be deceitful. Truth must lead, and feelings must follow.

So yes—facts (truth) don’t care about your feelings. But God does. And in His wisdom, He gave us both truth to stand on and emotions to help us live as whole people. When feelings bow to truth, both find their rightful place.