"Faith over Feeling"
Scripture to follow:
Matthew 7:24-26
Ephesians 2:8-9
Colossians 3:1-2
Exodus 14:11-15
Luke 22:42
Feelings are important. As a therapist, I have spent the better part of a decade learning about the psychology of feelings. How they are experienced, where they come from, and what causes them to shift. What I can tell you is there is a peace that comes when we learn to flow with feelings rather than grip on to them tightly, bury them down deep, or run from them. There is an anxiousness that takes over when we are convinced, we will only be ok if we feel one specific way but not another. We often exhaust ourselves by constantly seeking to controlling situations in order to guarantee only the good and safe feelings are felt. We exhaust ourselves because it isn’t possible. Feelings are ever changing. They flow through us and around us all the time. Feelings shift, like sand. This is why we have been called to place our faith on something firmer. (Matthew 7:24-26) We have become accustomed to living in a world that seems to value feelings over everything. What God created as a function to elevate our experiences, signify that our connections are deepening, or serve as a warning to accompany the Holy Spirit, the world has made a guidepost for peace. We are surrounded by a cultural narrative that flaunts the message that if something doesn’t make you feel happy, it must not be for you. If you don’t feel comfortable, it must not be working the way it should. This narrative has shaped more than just our world, too often, we also let into the kingdom. We want to make people feel the presence of the Holy Spirit in our churches, we want people to feel comfortable to come learn about God and feel loved. We want to feel at peace in our own walk with Christ. We want to feel empowered and moved when the worship team leads us and the preacher delivers the message. We want to feel the strength and confidence of knowing we are protected and provided for by God. None of these desires are bad, but when the need for those feelings become the guidepost and purpose of our fellowship with Jesus, we have traded in our faith for a golden calf disguised as happiness, comfort, and even self-righteousness. Our faith can also take a backseat to feelings when we punish and withhold ourselves from God based off the emotion we are experiencing. Most of us have heard the guilt-stricken messages of the hurting or anxious Christian being told if they aren’t feeling that peace that passes all understanding, their faith must not be big enough. As if a strong enough faith is meant to supernaturally surpass the process of grieving, feeling anger, or just discomfort. By this mindset I am encouraged to stay away from God, because, if my faith was strong enough, I wouldn’t be feeling this doubt. We slip into the mindset of letting our feelings inform our perception of God’s power and goodness. Surely if the Almighty was present and working, I wouldn’t be feeling this way. Either way we swing it, letting our feelings inform our faith doesn’t leave us in a good position. Let’s not forget that even with absolute perfect faith and knowledge, our own Savior suffered with anxiety so bad that it caused blood to fall from His skin as he prayed for the Father to take the cup of the crucifixion from Him. (Luke 22:42) The Goodness of God is He did not forsake the Israelites because of their feelings, and He certainly did not judge His own Son for feeling the anxiety related to His impending self-sacrifice for our sins. If Jesus was permitted to feel and still maintain perfect faith, what leads us to believe our faith is only intact in as much as we feel strong? Sometimes we will be called to stay faithful by coming to God despite how it feels, like our own Savior did. We will have to hit our knees in prayer when it feels like the situation is immoveable. We will have to declare His promises over top of our feelings when we are discouraged, disappointed, and distracted. We will have to reinforce our faith when it is easier to place the blessing on a pedestal over the provider Himself, no matter how fulfilled or happy that thing or person makes us feel. Because we are followers of Christ, not followers of our feelings. Faith is characterized by the firm belief of who God is despite what I am feeling right now. Feelings shift; He does not. Ephesians 2:8-9 puts it perfectly: “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of your own works, so that no one may boast.” When our faith is informed by our feelings, we are looking inward, not upward. (Colossians 3:1-2) We become like the Israelites arriving at the red sea, who even after seeing God spare them from plague after plague and releasing them from bondage, declared to Moses in panic “Why did you bring us out here just to die?” Their feeling was informing their faith. While Moses relayed God’s steadiness in his response “The Lord will fight for you, and you only have to be silent”, my favorite part of this passage isn’t Moses’ assurance in God, it’s God’s response to Moses. “Why are you crying out to me. Tell the Israelites to move on.” (Exodus 14:11-15) In this moment I can’t help but hear God saying, “Don’t you know I’ve got you. I have proven that I’ve had you this whole time. Keep moving. Trust me to bring you through.” It’s easy to look at this story and judge the Israelites for their fear, but we never God see God condemn their feelings. He simply told them to keep moving despite them.
Beloved, know that no matter how your feelings are shifting around you, Yaweh is our steady ground. Declare your faith over your feelings and trust Him to walk you through it.
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