October 16, 2015
Faith or Feelings
BabbieMason
Today’s Truth
We live by what we believe, not by what we can see. (2 Corinthians 5:7, NCV)
Friend to Friend
Have you ever been in the valley of decision when your faith was leading you to believe God for the impossible but your feelings were telling you to look at the situation from a practical perspective? When that happened, did you find that your heart began to be filled with indecision, fear and anxiety? One way to sidestep that is to decide ahead of time that you will not allow your feelings to take the lead. The bottom line of faith is summed up in simple terms. Believe God no matter the circumstances. No matter what your situation looks like, determine that you will not waver in your faith. Remember, faith is your positive response to what God has already said in His Word. So don’t allow the questions of life trip you up. Go with what you know, based on God’s Word – not with what you feel.
The Bible underscores this. Oftentimes, God will instruct His people to do things that, to the natural senses, just don’t make sense. Sometimes His instructions seem impractical or even ridiculous. The Bible is full of amazing accounts where God instructed people to step outside of man’s traditional wisdom and step onto God’s tightrope of faith. In the book of 2 Kings 5:10, God’s prophet, Elisha, sent word to Naaman, a man with leprosy, to go and wash seven times in the dirty river Jordon in order to be healed. The Lord spoke to the tribe of Judah, telling them in 2 Chronicles 20:21 to march into the battle singing victory songs instead of fighting their enemies with traditional weapons. In Matthew 14:29 Jesus tells Peter to get out of the boat to walk on water. And in Matthew 14:13-21, Jesus tells His disciples to feed a multitude of more than 5,000 people with 3 fish and 5 loaves. Remarkable things happen when we walk by faith and not let feelings get in the way.
I often think about things that don’t make sense to my natural mind. As a Christian conference speaker and concert artist, I have flown many years as a passenger on commercial airplanes. I’ll admit, after years of getting on and off of airplanes, I still don’t understand how 225,000 pounds of metal and jet fuel, plus passengers and cargo is even able to get off the ground and fly! I place my life and complete safety into the hands of a crew I don’t even know. How much more then, can I put my complete trust in God, who knows me better than I know myself! You see, walking by faith will almost always contradict your feelings. Your feelings are controlled by emotions, which cannot always be trusted. Your faith in Christ, on the other hand, is founded upon unchanging biblical principles. And God’s Word can always be trusted. Remember, when you can’t find God with your feelings, find Him with your faith.
Let’s pray.
Dear Heavenly Father, I admit, I find it difficult to walk by faith sometimes. But I know, deep in my heart that You will never fail me. Please forgive me for relying on people who are known to fail, instead of trusting You, the only One Who is completely trustworthy. Thank You for your unfailing love for me. Help me to lean on Your Word as I learn to trust You more.
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen
Now it’s your turn
Just as you would rehearse a skill, such as playing an instrument or mastering culinary talent, the more you practice, the better you become. How can you begin ‘rehearsing’, by faith, for the next challenge that lies ahead?
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