Emotion based faith
Emotions are never the basis for one’s faith. It’s a decision, a commitment; which means you may not know why something is happening to you, or you may not feel inspired to be faithful and love and obey God. It may also mean that you may not understand why something “doesn’t feel right” or you may want to give up. It may also mean that everything is going against you but YOU STILL GO ON.
That is the testing of genuine faith. It is when your intellect is sometimes against your beliefs, or emotions are opposite of what you know is truth, or when everyone are opposed to your convictions. After all, faith is being sure of what you hope for and certain of what you do not see (Hebrews 11:1) and in a way certain of what you do not feel.
While emotions are not at all completely bad, we should not base our standing with God on emotions. Bank your faith in God instead. Refine your faith. Never give up. Feelings change but God does not. Master your emotions and lead your heart.
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. – hebrew12:2
A great post…and a reminder to let God take charge…not our emotions!
Nice!
Well-written, Dave. =)
I agree. We can take Paul as an example for this. If he was led purely by emotions he probably would have fallen away early on because of all the persecution he went through. To be beaten, stoned, threatened, imprisoned, whipped, shipwrecked, (and having to go through other hardships) is no walk in the park. However, even through all that happened, even with his emotions probably telling him to run in the opposite direction, Paul trusted in the Lord and was obedient to the end.
And, of course, Jesus is our greatest example. If He was led purely by his emotions, would He have died for us? He knew how He would be treated, how He would be tortured, scorned, and rejected. Yet, even in the face of all that, He went against what He was feeling and CHOSE to be obedient. He CHOSE to forgive us and He CHOSE to love us.
How wonderful it is that we have Him as our Saviour. =)
agree jai your comment ministered to me!!!