Deciding Between What We Know and What We Feel

This is such a great subject to send to the archives just yet. So I thought I would attempt to add a few more insights and verses today. This subject is close to my heart, but even closer to the reality of my daily personal struggles. And despite my biased assumption that I have mastered my emotional chaos, the facts tell a different story. How I respond, react, and plan mostly depends on what I am feeling at the time. I would like to grow more solid in my emotional life by resting and grounding myself in the truth - trusting what I know rather than what I feel.

I think this subject can get slightly confusing because emotions are so unexplainably varied. At times our emotions align with the truth, and other times they are opposite. It can get tricky. Thankfully, God's Word talks clearly on this subject by offering personal examples and solid principles. God wants us to know His heart on this.

Psalms 22 is a great illustration and provides tender help for this topic. In the following verses, David is struggling emotionally, but continues to keep a steady trust in God, letting his knowledge of God dictate his responses and commitment.

"My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are You so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning? O my God, I cry by day, but You do not answer, and by night, but I find no rest. Yet You are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel. In You our fathers trusted; they trusted, and You delivered them. To You they cried and were rescued; in You they trusted and were not put to shame." (Ps. 22:1-5)

David is trusting in Truth rather than his feelings. It evidently feels like God has abandoned him. He cries day and night and yet nothing is happening, God is not answering. But David doesn't let this mere emotional destitution to cause him to forsake or distrust God. David goes back to the truth: God has not forsaken him, just as God did not forsake the people before him who trusted in the Lord. David is sincerely honest about what he is feeling, and then there is the "yet". Let this be a sample for our prayers: "God, I feel destitute and forsaken. Yet I know You are near, You are here, and You will help. I believe that."

This is called aligning our emotions with the truth.

It gets even worse for David before this Psalm ends. The people around him start to mock David's faith in the Lord and God Himself. Now two sources are pointing out God's absence: David's emotions and the outside world. This is where it gets hard. This is where faithfulness above feelings comes into painful practice.

"But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by mankind and despised by the people. All who see me mock me; they make mouths at me; they wag their heads; “He trusts in the Lord; let Him deliver him; let Him rescue him, for He delights in him!” Yet you are He who took me from the womb; You made me trust You at my mother's breasts." (Ps. 22:6-9)

It comes down to what we trust: feelings or the truth about Jesus. Life can seem to confirm God's absence, but that simply isn't true. God declares over and over again, "I am here. I am with you." (Josh. 1:9, Heb.13:5, Ps. 73:23) Our job is to trust that He is telling the truth, because... He is.  David closes with this:

"You who fear the Lord, praise Him! All you offspring of Jacob, glorify Him, and stand in awe of Him, all you offspring of Israel! For He has not despised or abhorred the affliction of the afflicted, and He has not hidden His face from him, but has heard, when he cried to Him." (Ps. 22:23-24)

A Song of Faithfulness

While writing the previous post about remaining faithful to God over our feelings, this song kept resurfacing in my mind. I have to share it with you all. Brooke Fraser is the one who wrote and sings this beautiful masterpiece of a song... I love her music and lyrical quality. I will post the lyrics below as well as a video containing the song so you can listen while you read. I have held this song closely through many nights of weeping after God's presence. I hope you enjoy it just as much.

Faithful

There's distance in the air and I cannot make it leave
I wave my arms round about me and blow with all my might
I cannot sense You close, though I know You're always here
But the comfort of You near is what I long for

[CHORUS]
When I can't feel You, I have learned to reach out just the same
When I can't hear You, I know You still hear every word I pray
And I want You more than I want to live another day
And as I wait for You maybe I'm made more faithful

All the folly of the past, though I know it is undone
I still feel the guilty one, still trying to make it right
So I whisper soft Your name, let it roll around my tongue,
knowing You're the only One who knows me
You know me

[CHORUS]

[BRIDGE]
Show me how I should live this
Show me where I should walk
I count this world as loss to me
You are all I want
You are all I want

Cultivate Faithfulness

In our world and culture today, many are focusing on making their resolutions for the upcoming year; losing weight, joining gyms, spending more time with family and friends, cooking healthy, improving character traits that are lacking, even purposing to spend more time with God. And yet, to me, I think we as children of God, brides of Christ, and aliens in this world should have a different approach to the New Year and the desire to make resolutions.

 Introducing: Faithfulness

Our lives should consist of more than "resolutions" that are enthusiastically made but then lose their appeal after just a few weeks. Rather our lives should maintain a faithfulness to God in every moment of our lives - January 1st or October 17th (just a random date). We look into the world and see a delight in short-lived experiments rather than life-long commitments. But sadly, Christians seldom differ from non-Christians in their faithfulness; to God, spouse, children, other relationships, jobs, education, etc. We suffer greatly from the lack of faithfulness.

Shouldn't we as Christians be setting the example of a faithful and loving bride waiting for her Husband to return? Aren't our marriages supposed to reflect the relationship of Christ and the church, especially in faithfulness? And to those of us who are single, aren't our lives of devotion and faithfulness to Jesus supposed to encourage curiosity as they wonder where we find our satisfaction, everlasting joy and unfailing love? We are losing our impact on the world because we struggle to remain faithful to God and to each other. We run from one thing to another looking for happiness in the wrong places - just like the lost. How can we recover? How can we reach the lost if we ourselves are too entangled in our unstableness and unfaithfulness to reach out in the power of a life lived faithfully for Jesus?

 Cultivating Faithfulness

 "Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness." (Psalms 37:3)

How do we begin to cultivate faithfulness? 

First I would say that a deep and steady relationship to the Lord is required. Daily spending time with Him, meditating on His Word, being devoted to prayer, and memorizing Scripture is a healthy recipe for faithfulness. There is no "list" on becoming faithful, only a present mind and correct attitude will help increase it. Just like in a marriage there is really no "10 steps to a great marriage", but rather an awareness of specific ingredients needed for a healthy relationship with your spouse. It is the same towards God. You must spend time with Him to know Him. You must talk (pray) and listen to communicate. Thinking about (meditating on) Him during your day will encourage deeper communion with Him. Naturally you will begin to memorize things about Him; you begin to know Him more. You become faithful.

  As your faithfulness increases, your life changes forever. Instead of seeking temporary happiness in other things or people, you run to the only God, the Faithful One, who embraces you in His arms of love and protection. When life gets tough and things happen you just weren't expecting, your faithfulness to God and His faithfulness to you will carry you through the fire. 

Faithfulness isn't easy. In fact, sometimes it is the hardest thing to do. But Jesus didn't say this ways going to be easy - it is hard. But His faithfulness is what makes this life so sweet. If we can remain steadfast and faithful to Him, He promises that we will be saved. (Mark 13:13) He will rescue us, like the Knight in shining armor that He is. How great is His faithfulness! 

 Remember the Faithful One

When I struggle in my faithfulness to Jesus, the one thing that grips me and holds my life, my very heartbeat, is HIS faithfulness. God is a covenant God - He won't let go, ever. He was the One who, dying on a cross, endured - was faithful - in the midst of the pain, blood and tears, suffering at the wish of His Father so I might be saved from the eternal death that awaited me. When He prayed until He sweated blood that the cup might be taken away from Him, but wasn't, He surrendered His will to God and was faithful, obedient unto death - for you and me. (Phil. 2:8)

How this knowledge gives us the encouragement and dedication to be faithful to Jesus. I hope, even in the midst of your resolutions, that you determine to be faithful to Christ no matter what happens this year, or in this life.

Let us be called the faithful.

"These will wage war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, because He is the Lord of lords and King of kings, and those who are with Him are the called and chosen and faithful." (Rev. 17:14)