Faith vs Feeling

Emotions betray us.


I know, I know, there’s a purpose for them, but the way I see it, it comes down to Faith versus Feeling.


I am a person who lives with overwhelming emotions. Not just moody, or fluctuating, but OVERWHELMING. Have you ever felt overwhelmed by something? Have you ever been so submerged in something, so surrounded by it, so overtaken by it, that it literally feels like it’s the only thing in your world at that moment? I have. I do. Constantly. I am not an expert, or a doctor, or a scientist, nor do I have any qualifications but one; life. When it comes down to making decisions most people will go with what they feel is right; I don’t. I go with what I know is right. God has given us everything we need in order to know what is right and wrong. Plain and simple (well, not really, our emotions can make things very complicated and sometimes there’s no black and white line, or writing on the wall, but you’ll get my drift eventually).


I should start by saying that I don’t think feelings are useless. God created an amazingly intricate being when He formed Adam and Eve. We were not formed by accident, or by a series of events that happened on their own. We were created by God! “So God created mankind in His own image, in the image of God He created them; male and female He created them.” (Gen 1:27, NIV). Our bodies are extremely complex and millions of things happen in them while we do the everyday things we take for granted. Psalm 139 says “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” (NIV. Vs: 13-14). This complex being requires God’s hand involved in every aspect or we cannot so much as breathe (see Matt 10:29). Basic science tells us our emotions are a result of chemical changes and responses in the brain and body. We feel emotions because of the hormones and neurotransmitters at work in our body. If, for example, our bodies don’t generate the right amount of serotonin then our bodies won’t regulate our emotions properly and we can end up with chemical depression, lack of arousal, aggression issues, anxiety disorders, and many other problems. Dopamine is another neurotransmitter, and when we have too much or too little of it we can end up with behavioral issues and memory problems. I’ve never seen those processes at work but I can tell you (and I’m pretty sure my husband would agree), they definitely complicate and have a huge impact on my life.


So…. You ask, what’s the point? Well, God has a purpose for all things; even that complicated network of chemicals and nerves and neurons. He knew what He was doing when He gave us emotions and feelings. “The LORD has made everything for its purpose” Prov. 16:4a NIV. When He created us “He saw all that He had made, and it was very good” (Gen 1:31a). Emotions can help us in many different ways. Fear can help you avoid things that harm you; being afraid of a bear or lion will cause you to think twice before jumping in their path. Love will cause a parent to protect and take care of their child. Occasional sadness can cause a person to be more aware of and considerate of other people’s situations and emotions. Our emotional response to things can strengthen relationships, or make us more wary of deception. Being nervous for a presentation may cause you to prepare harder for it so that you do well. Emotional responses quite often dictate how we deal with situations and when they’re functioning properly that can be a very good thing!


But what about when our emotions aren’t functioning properly? We live in a sinful world and sin has had a devastating effect on everything, including our emotions and hormones. And to be quite honest, even when all of it is functioning properly our sinful nature can still get in the way and cause us to respond incorrectly to the emotions we feel. Think about it, have you ever been in a good mood and allowed that to get in the way of helping someone who wasn’t? ‘That guys a bummer, not going to let him ruin my good mood’…Maybe that guy needed your help; you didn’t share your good mood, you chose to avoid him to protect it. There’s our selfish nature at work. Or (and here’s something I’m definitely guilty of) maybe something at work made you angry and you carried that anger home and lashed out at your husband (for what you thought was a good reason, but upon reconsideration realized it wasn’t about them or the stupid cups left on the coffee table, or laundry on the floor). The anger itself may not have been wrong initially, but the response to it sure was! What we do with our emotions can have a drastic effect on our relationships and lives.


When I look at the decisions I’m faced with I often set my emotions aside and look to scripture. What does the Bible say? Will my choice be in line with a life that is pleasing to God? Am I being selfish or putting others first? Yes, emotions are always going to have a part in decisions, but when it comes to faith we can’t go by how we feel. God tells us how we are to live and worship Him. That doesn’t mean I choose a church based on how it makes me feel – I choose a church that professes God’s Word and whose teachings are consistent with it. I don’t go to church to get warm fuzzy feelings; I go because God asks us to praise Him and listen to the preaching and teaching of His gospel. My emotions can betray me and make me feel alone or unsatisfied, or like God hasn’t answered my prayers. God always hears our prayers; we may not always like the answer because it may just be ‘Wait’ or ‘Not now’, but He hears and He answers.


My feelings are what has me writing this now, but my faith is what keeps me strong and trusting in our Savior.





From the NorMel House, where things are anything but normal...


"Trust and obey, for there's no other way to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey."