Topic: Move Forward by Faith, Not by Feelings [RICK WARREN Devotional 4 MAY 2024]
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Move Forward by Faith, Not by Feelings
BY RICK WARREN — MAY 4, 2024
FROM DARING FAITH
“Those who plant in tears will harvest with shouts of joy. They weep as they go to plant their seed, but they sing as they return with the harvest.”
Psalm 126:5-6 (NLT)
You need to plant by faith, not by your feelings.
Do you think that every day a farmer wakes up excited to go to work on their farm? No. It’s hard work! But if a farmer only worked their crops when they felt like it, not much would get done. They may not want to get up early. They may not want to go plant and weed and cultivate and harvest. But they do it anyway.
Let me make a little confession: I don’t always feel like being nice to people. I hate to admit it! Sometimes I want to be cranky. Sometimes I just want to say, “Leave me alone!” I don’t always feel like being kind. I don’t always feel like being generous. I don’t always feel like giving people hope.
But I don’t live by my feelings. I choose to live by faith. Sometimes I plant when I’m tired. Sometimes I plant when I’m distracted. Sometimes I plant when I’m stressed out. Sometimes I plant when I’m in deep, deep grief. And I move ahead in faith in spite of my feelings, expecting God to act.
One year at Saddleback Church, we were approaching the anniversary of my son’s death, and I really didn’t want to be at church. It was close to Easter, and I would have rather just celebrated the resurrection at home with my family and my Lord and just get through the day.
I was in tears most of that week, and I claimed Psalm 126:5-6 as a promise: “Those who plant in tears will harvest with shouts of joy. They weep as they go to plant their seed, but they sing as they return with the harvest” (NLT).
And you know what? As I was planting seeds in 14 Easter services, God gave a harvest of 2,604 people who came to Christ. Those who sow in tears will reap in joy. All those people are going to be in heaven because I didn’t do what I felt like doing. I did what I did by faith.
Sometimes God will call you to make a sacrifice—through your money, yes, but also through your time, talent, and maybe even your life. You may feel like saying, “I don’t feel like it.” But if you do, you will miss the blessing that God wants to give by using you.
Talk It Over
- Do you live most of your life by your feelings? Why do you think it is so easy to do this?
- What would it look like for you to live by faith? What would change in your life?
- What sacrifice is God asking you to make that will require you to plant seeds by faith?
Where will you spend eternity?
Your sins separate you from God. And it is only God’s grace that allows you back into a right relationship with him.
The Bible says, “It is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9 NIV). If you’re ready to make peace with your Creator, then pray this prayer:
“Dear Jesus, I don’t want my sin to separate me from you any longer. You have promised that if I believe in you, everything I’ve ever done wrong will be forgiven, and you will accept me into your eternal home in heaven one day.
“I confess my sin, and I believe you are my Savior. You have promised that if I confess my sin and trust you, I will be saved. I believe you when you say salvation comes by grace, through faith, and not by anything I do. I receive you into my life as my Lord. Today, I’m turning over every part of my life to your management.
“I want to live the way you created me to live and use the rest of my life to serve you instead of serving myself. I commit my life to you and ask you to save me and accept me into your family. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.”
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