Deceptive or Discerning?

Are our feelings deceptive or discerning? I just finished reading The Voice of Jesus by Gordon T. Smith. In it, he asserts that our feelings, specifically those that are deeper and more lingering (which he calls affect), guide us in making decisions and hearing the direction of the Holy Spirit. Unlike many authors who talk about this subject, he doesn't discount the role of reason in discerning. He also cautions that we have an incredible capacity for self-deception in both our emotions and our reasoning.

The trouble for me comes in figuring out when my feelings are helping me discern and when they are deceiving me. Smith gives a number of ways to figure this out, but none are objective enough to call on without doubt. So, I was feeling uneasy about a decision I made this week, which at first panicked me because I thought I had made a poor choice despite good reason. Then, I started to think that my uneasiness had more to do with fear of the outcome, which, even if good, would lead to change [insert scary voice] in my lifestyle. Smith always tosses out fear as something that prevents us from discerning well, so if it is just fear, then I really shouldn't be doubting my decision.

All this is to say, how do you go about listening to or ignoring your feelings when making decisions?