We Live by Faith and Not by Feelings

Our pastor last week used this phase often in his sermon. He was looking at how Christ reacted during a trial in the wilderness with Satan. Without going into more detail, what thoughts come to mind as you consider this phrase?  

To be fair, there was a disclaimer offered near the end of the service, specifically pointing out that he was not sending this message to people with mood disorders, but there were some useful points offered that we can benefit from too. Let’s look at the verses that we were focused on.  

Matthew 4: 3-4 “The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God” 

As Christ had been fasting for 40 days he’d be “feeling” pretty hungry when this conversation happened. But he acted on his faith, strengthened by his study of word of God, as he quoted Deuteronomy 8:3  " He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your ancestors had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.". 

While our emotions may be simply overwhelming for us at times, God’s word can give us the strength of faith, which can whisper God’s truth over our suffering, and give us hope on our darkest days. It may seem like our trials are bigger than other people’s, but they’re not bigger than Christ’s, and his love for us is so deep that he willing subjected himself to them for our sakes.  Does anyone have a favorite verse they’d like to share? 

Or you can simply google a bible verse to help with whatever your overwhelming feelings are at the time. As I’m writing this I feel anxious that my mind won’t clear enough to finish this devotional, so when I looked up trust in the Lord, I found this: Psalms 37:5 “Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust him, and he will help you.”  

Even on days when we feel immobilized, with waves of emotion battering us, we can remember the most familiar verses, like psalm 23, or John 3:16-17, and focus on his truth, that we are not alone in our struggles, that we are loved, and God did not come to condemn us but to save us, all while we wait for our storm to pass. We live, we stay alive, we invite hope and purpose back into our hearts all through faith, despite what our feelings may be doing to our minds. And as the storm passes, we can give thanks that once again, God has carried us through to see better days. 

Great is Thy Faithfulness 

Chorus  

Great is Thy faithfulness, Great is Thy faithfulness 

Morning by morning, new mercies I see 

All I have needed thy hand hath provided 

Great is Thy faithfulness Lord unto me 

Verse 1 

Great is Thy faithfulness O God my Father 

There is no shadow of turning with Thee 

Thou changest not thy compassions they fail not 

As Thou hast been thou forever wilt be 

Verse 2 

Summer and winter and springtime and harvest 

Sun moon and stars in their courses above 

Join with all nature in manifold witness 

To Thy great faithfulness mercy and love 

Verse 3 

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth 

Thy own dear presence to cheer and to guide 

Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow 

Blessings all mine with ten thousand beside