A few weeks ago, some of us were doing some work at our church and one of the guys said he had a “gut feeling” about something. I’ve heard the phrases “gut feeling” or “trust your gut” almost my entire life. But thinking back, I’ve rarely been in a situation where I “trusted my gut.” In fact, I’m not sure I know what a gut feeling even feels like.
Google provided the following explanation…. A gut feeling (or intuition) is an immediate physical response you feel that suggests the best decision when presented with two or more choices. Common sensations associated with a gut feeling include a sinking feeling or butterflies in your stomach, sweaty palms, prickling on your neck, goose bumps, muscle tightness or tension, increased heart rate, or an overwhelming sense of calm or clarity.
In scientific terms, gut feelings come from the enteric nervous system, a web of neurons in the gastrointestinal tract that some neuroscientists call the “second brain.”
I’ve had those feelings, but I never associated them with decision making. I guess I can maybe believe that following your gut or instinct can often direct you down the best path, but I’ve always tried to follow the “do what’s best” path — I’m not sure there’s much difference. I think logic and reason are the two most important things in play to make good decisions, but science suggests that intuition can be a valuable tool in some circumstances.
From what I’ve read, gut feelings produce some of the same physical sensations as anxiety, so I’m not sure how you tell them apart. And then of course, there’s paranoia…. how do you tell the difference? Gut feelings tend to pass once you make a decision, while anxiety is more than just a passing feeling — it lingers, like maybe you made the wrong decision. And paranoia is an irrational suspicion, not based on fact.
So maybe those gut feelings do mean something, and they can often help you make good decisions — sometimes we can all use a “second brain.”
Someone said that prayer is telephoning to God, and your gut feeling is God telephoning to you. Maybe it’s better to not let that call go to voice mail…..
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