Faith is not a Feeling
What is faith?
πίστις pístis, pis'-tis; from G3982; persuasion, i.e. credence; moral conviction (of religious truth, or the truthfulness of God or a religious teacher), especially reliance upon Christ for salvation; abstractly, constancy in such profession; by extension, the system of religious (Gospel) truth itself:—assurance, belief, believe, faith, fidelity (the character of one who can be relied on)
I once had a word spoken over me that I have come back to many times. I was told by God through one of His daughters, “You are a woman of great faith.”
Many times since, I have wondered what exactly God meant by that. I don’t always FEEL like I have great faith. Faith is something I have to work at, I have to be intentional to choose to have faith. It doesn’t just come easily with the circumstances; it is a choice. So I choose to have great faith in the face of the fire. I choose also to have great faith when the embers burn low.
A phrase I have heard many times when people are discussing their church experience or their relationship with God is, “I just didn’t connect. I wasn’t feeling it.”
I am guilty of this sentiment many times. I don’t like that song because I didn’t “connect” to it. I didn’t like that message because it didn’t stir up my heart (Jeremiah 17:9 “The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is?). We want a physical and emotional response in order to believe something is real.
I see this play out in marriages, too. “The spark was gone,” “I just fell out of love with him,” etc.
Relationships have an ebb and flow, and they should. We can’t live forever in the high or else it will start to feel like status quo. We will begin chasing more and more, greater and grander. Our expectations become unrealistic and unhealthy. The same can happen with our relationship with God.
Sometimes, His presence is nearly tangible. We can feel the Spirit moving and are brought to tears or laughter. We get lost in the moment.
Other times, we don’t. This is the moment where faith is tested and determined. Faith is a choice.
Faith is not a feeling, because feelings are fleeting.
Faith is not dependent on emotion or circumstances.
Even when I don’t see it, He is working.
Even when I don’t feel it, He is working.
Even if He DOESN’T APPEAR TO BE WORKING, He is working.
My faith stands.
His Truth stands.
Together, we stand.
πίστις pístis, pis'-tis; from G3982; persuasion, i.e. credence; moral conviction (of religious truth, or the truthfulness of God or a religious teacher), especially reliance upon Christ for salvation; abstractly, constancy in such profession; by extension, the system of religious (Gospel) truth itself:—assurance, belief, believe, faith, fidelity (the character of one who can be relied on)
We can rely on God.
Can God rely on you?
Daniel 3:17 If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty.
Daniel 3:18 But even if he doesn’t, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up.”
Job 13:15 God might kill me, but I have no other hope. I am going to argue my case with him.
Matthew 27:46 At about three o’clock, Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” which means “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?
1 Peter 4:12-13 Dear friends, don’t be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you. Instead, be very glad—for these trials make you partners with Christ in his suffering, so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing his glory when it is revealed to all the world.
Psalm 22:2 Every day I call to you, my God, but you do not answer. Every night you hear my voice, but I find no relief
Psalm 22:3 Yet you are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel
Psalm 34:17 The LORD hears his people when they call to him for help. He rescues them from all their troubles
Jeremiah 17:9 “The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is?
Psalm 23:4 Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me.
1 Peter 1:7 These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world
Hebrews 10:23 Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise.
Matthew 8:10 When Jesus heard this, he was amazed. Turning to those who were following him, he said, “I tell you the truth, I haven’t seen faith like this in all Israel!