Balancing Feelings with Faith
“‘Love the Lord your God … with all your soul.”
Mark 12:30 (NIV)
The word soul in the Bible is “psyche.” We get our word psychology from it. Your soul comprises your emotions, feelings, attitudes, and will. It’s who you are under the skin. God says that we are to love Him with all our souls, and to love our neighbors as ourselves. Feelings can make walking by faith challenging. How do you handle your feelings? If you want to take your relationship with God and others to another level, here are a few tips for balancing your feelings with faith that I’ve found helpful.
Don’t be afraid to express your emotions.
Stuffing them can turn into bitterness. God created us with feelings to express our love to Him and others. We feel joy, anger, hurt, fear, sorrow, and gratitude. Healthy relationships create a safe place to express your emotions without a judgment call. God is big enough to handle whatever feelings I share with Him. Be open and honest before God about how you feel.
Don’t run from emotions.
Feelings are neither right nor wrong. It’s what you do with them that makes the difference. For a long time, I would look for a way out rather than confronting how I felt or, worse, sitting and working through how someone else was feeling. It made me feel uncomfortable. The reason we feel comfortable running to God instead of running from Him is because we know He loves us. The psalmist called God his refuge and strength, his hiding place, his strong tower, and a mighty fortress! He knew that God’s love could weather any feelings and would remain constant. If you’re running from your emotions, it may be because of insecurity. Healthy relationships provide a secure place to run with your feelings, not from them. Revealing your feelings is the first step to healing.
Don’t rely on emotions.
A long time ago, I remember seeing a drawing of a train with an engine, a fuel car, and a caboose, which gave me perspective on my feelings. The engine had the word facts on it. The fuel car was titled Faith, and the caboose was labeled Feelings. Feelings were a part of the train. Feelings were on the tracks, but they were the caboose and not the engine. If feelings became my engine, then I’m sure to derail. Feelings are an insufficient source of fuel as well. You might run so hot that you run off the tracks or so cold that you can’t get down the track. It’s our faith that fuels the train based on the facts of God’s promises. Still, feelings follow and provide joy in the journey. Healthy relationships don’t rely on emotions for motion. They understand that, as we walk in faith and obedience, our feelings will follow.
Another important part of your daily devotional is spending time with God in prayer. The Woodlands Church Prayer Board lists prayer requests submitted by our members and provides a way to send them some encouragement by using a button on the page to let them know that you prayed for them. Whether you use the Prayer Board, or pray from your heart, the goal is to build the habit of incorporating prayer into your quiet time.
Need prayer yourself? Let us know by submitting a prayer request on the Woodlands Church Prayer Board.