The Community For Building 429 (original) (raw)

Emotions are strong. Too often, we as christians find ourselves acting out of emotions instead of listening for God's direction. It is easy to flow with your feelings and emotions... but feelings are fickle. They really are... ask any woman who suffers from PMS.

Even with knowing that our emotions are unreliable...why do we still find ourselves falling victim to them over and over again? I say victim because emotions can cheat us right out of a blessing or a prayer on the horizon of being answered.

Does anyone know what I am talking about?

For example, I know that I am saved and called into ministry. Just two weeks ago, God began revealing to me more of his purpose for me. It was absolutely amazing, exciting, and humbling. Then a week later, I find myself feeling completely dry. I still remembered what God showed me a week prior but the emotions had passed and I found myself depressed and lonely.

I couldn't understand how I could go through such a dramatic change within a week. What had I done wrong? Why was it that I felt like my prayers weren't going past the ceiling? The answer is that I was relying on my emotions. I wanted to FEEL something. The truth is that God was still listening to me (obviously, he was answering my prayers today). Although I still mess up... I know that I am still covered in the blood because God is still working the kinks out of me.

God showed me tonight that he is teaching me to move out of emotions and learn how to walk in genuine faith. The kind of faith that believes just as fervently when the "emotions" aren't cooperating as when I do when I "feel" the goose bumps.

The Bible says that "Faith is the substance of things hoped for and evidence of things unseen" No where in that verse does it say that faith is a feel good emotion. The best way I can describe it is this... I know my dad loves me. I have absolutely no doubt that he does... but at times my emotions get stirred up to make me feel like I'm nothing but a burden to him. Feeling like you are a burden and like you are in the way does not FEEL like being loved. That doesn't change the fact that my dad loves me... he just isn't very good at "showing" love.

A year ago God confirmed to me that I was called to preach and to be in youth ministry. There is no doubt that GOD showed me that. So now, when I begin to feel discouraged because I don't know how to reach out to those young people that I have been burdened for, I am not going to question the call God put on my life. I am just going to trust in God. He will equip me to do what He called me to do. And that goes for you too.

I challenge anyone who may read this to start recognizing when you are acting out of emotions and pray for God to teach you to walk by faith. Faith isn't something we can conjure up ourselves. It is a gift from God... all you have to do is ask Him for it... and when He blesses you with it, EXCERCISE IT! If you don't, it won't belong before you will see doubt trying to come back in.