Topic: Faith That Persists Above Feelings [RICK WARREN Devotional 5 April 2021]
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Faith That Persists Above Feelings
“It was by faith that Moses left the land of Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger. He kept right on going because he kept his eyes on the one who is invisible.”
Hebrews 11:27 (NLT)There is a strong belief in our culture that influences every one of us, whether we want it to or not: If it feels good, do it.
But this kind of thinking allows you to be manipulated by your moods—making you live according to your feelings. God wants you to live a different kind of life. He wants you to live a life of faith, not a life of feelings.
We don’t always feel like doing the right thing. I don’t know about you, but I don’t always feel like being nice to people. I don’t always feel like stopping what I’m doing to help someone. I don’t always feel like believing God’s promises for my life.
But our goal as believers is to develop the kind of faith that persists above feelings. You deepen your relationship with God when you spend time with him, even on days when you don’t feel like it.
It’s like an Olympic athlete exercising when she doesn’t feel like it or a great musician practicing his craft, even when he’s tired. It’s the same with your relationship with God.
People who have a regular, consistent quiet time with God didn’t get there because they felt like spending time with God every single morning. They got there because they woke up and decided to read the Bible and pray, even when they didn’t feel like it.
Faith is being persistent. Faith is refusing to give up no matter how tired you are or how many other things you wish you could be doing.
Through the example of Moses, the Bible shows us how to begin to develop persistence. Hebrews 11:27 says, “It was by faith that Moses left the land of Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger. He kept right on going because he kept his eyes on the one who is invisible” (NLT).
That’s how you get there. That’s how you persist. You begin to see the invisible. Only those who see God for who he really is can persist in the most difficult times of life. Only those who see the invisible can do the impossible.
- What is the danger of living your life according to your feelings?
- What practical changes to your life might help you persist in a regular quiet time with God?
- Who is someone you know who has persisted in faith? What have you learned from that person’s example?
- When have you put your faith above your feelings? What did you learn through that experience?