Feelings in Face of Discipline.

The journey of a Christian is a hard one, fruitful and formidable requiring strong fervency and faith in one’s life. Insight and trial of the complex journey of spiritual growth, it can be easy to be swayed by our emotions with our relationship with God, often using them as an indicator of our spiritual state. However, if left unchecked, this way of thinking can easily become precarious and misleading to our understanding of God and his relation to us. Faith, when mixed with common sentiment, can become fragile, leaving believers quite vulnerable in the face of the ebbs of emotional human life. Veritable faith, in refinery and its purest form, is steadfast and fervent regardless of how we feel or whatever circumstances we find ourselves in. Understanding this distinction is extremely vital for building a long-enduring relationship with God and building our faith to last and grow.

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It is key that we understand that the nature of feelings is inherently unstable. They shift with circumstances, our moods, and all that is under the sun. One day, someone might feel connected to God after attending a church service, but the next day the same person might feel disconnected, doubtful, and even weary in the face of challenges or simply through the load of daily life. This volatility reveals the ephemeral nature of ourselves and our sentiments, and understanding this can help us see the weak essence of using these feelings when it is used as a gauge for spiritual proximity to God. Faith is not subject to whims, It is a decision of the heart that transcends momentary feelings. If we say we are close to God based on how we feel in a current moment, we inadvertently imply that we are distant from Him when our emotions do not align. This notion of thinking diminishes the truth that God’s omnipresence does not depend on our feelings or perceptions, positive or negative. Regardless of our emotional state, God is always near, and our faith should be grounded in this unchanging, eternal truth.

          The danger in relying on emotions as an indicator of faith is that it distorts the true nature of God's presence. When feelings drive our perception of closeness to God, we risk misunderstanding His omnipresence. Whether we feel elated or despondent, God is as close as He ever was. The only thing that changes is our perspective, and if that perspective is shaped by emotions, it will continually fluctuate. This is why faith, rather than feeling, must be the foundation of our spiritual journey.

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As stated, when faith is reliant on external circumstances or emotions, it can deceive someone in what they believe to be true. In my own experience, I have witnessed abusive and otherwise, spiritually lethargic individuals claiming to feel a spiritual renewal after listening to a song or have experienced a moment of emotional connection to God through their music. Hearing this, you would expect perhaps to see this renewal, yet they quickly reverted to abusive or harmful behavior once the emotional high subsided. Although this is my own experience, this is not a unique occurrence. We often create playlists of music for working out or listen to a specific genre of music to help us study, or in other words, we use stimuli to elicit a reaction out of ourselves; music, social settings, or temporary feelings of happiness can stir emotions, but true faith is not swayed by such things. It is rooted in God’s Word, His promises, and His will, not in the transient feelings that come and go.

This can be particularly evident in Christian communities, where many believers describe their connection to God based on emotional experiences in church services or worship gatherings. While such moments can indeed foster a sense of closeness to God, they do not equate to a deeper, lasting relationship with Him. True faith is developed over time, through discipline and obedience, not only by waves of emotion. Jesus’ parable of the soils (Matthew 13:1-9) speaks of this truth: some people’s faith is shallow, like seeds planted in rocky soil. They may spring up quickly, but the absolute moment the challenges of life arise, their faith falters. What we can take from this is that faith must be deepened through trials and hardships, otherwise said, endurance, not just feelings of comfort.

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Now that we have come to the point of what faith is not related to, we can continue to the point of what faith does indeed relate to. True and veritable faith is adhering to the spirit and spirit only. Feelings are often a product of our human nature, they come as stimuli strike and go as we are satisfied, Faith requires discipline—the decision to trust God’s Word above fleeting our overlying emotions, and the obedience to remain steadfast in Him despite the inevitable trials and temptations of sin we face. 

When we expect to feel good or “connected” every time we act in worship or serve God, we are serving ourselves, not God. It is easy to equate emotional satisfaction with spiritual fulfillment, but the reality is that God often works in ways that are more times uncomfortable; however, this builds fervency and boldness, refining us within fire to His wishes. It is unfortunate visiting different church services around the city, it’s clear they love what they’re doing, and it’s clear they think what they are doing is serving God; but under discerning observation, it’s clear more effort is placed within the aspects of enjoyment rather than the worship of God, our Lord and Master. Jesus Christ and His teaching should be what should be regarded above everything. His will for our lives may not always align with our desires, but it is always for our good and His glory. If we focus on feeling good rather than doing good, we lose sight of the true purpose of faith: to honor God in all circumstances, regardless of how we feel.

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So, please allow me to offer a redefinition of the relationship between feelings and faith. While it should be fact and understood that feelings should be felt and not be ignored, they should not be used as a measure of spiritual closeness to God. Feelings can serve as a guide to understanding our state of mind—both conscious and subconscious. It is entirely possible to be spiritually closer to God in moments of deep anguish than during times of joy. A person who is crying out to God amid personal turmoil may be more aligned with God’s will than someone who is outwardly joyful but spiritually dead. You can be just as close to God crying on the bathroom floor contemplating your stagnancy in life, than someone who goes to church every single Sunday with a smile on their face. What God values is your faith in humility and obedience, not superficial emotional states. 

We must be able to recognize the frailty of our own nature in the face of God’s everlasting state of goodness and Christ’s strength in our weakness. Whether we feel happy, sad, angry, or anxious, God is present, and He is working in us. Our emotions do not dictate God’s presence in our lives, nor do they determine our worthiness. What matters is our heart posture and our willingness to submit to His will.

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To wrap everything up, feelings, while important and reflective of our internal state, should not be the foundation of our faith. Faith instead must be built on the unchanging truth of God's Word, His promises, and His omnipresent nature. In truth, we as God’s children are called to recognize the frailty of our emotions and actively submit ourselves to Christ’s will, regardless of how we feel. True faith is not about emotionalities nor our circumstances, but instead, it is about trusting God through every season of life. When we prioritize faith over feelings, we find a more steadfast and enduring relationship with God that is rooted in His eternal love and will for our lives. Let us not define God by our fleeting emotions, but rather build endurance and use our minds and hearts to glorify Him, regardless of our circumstances.

Thank you, and thank you for reading.