Have you ever spent time in God’s word or in prayer expecting you would feel better about yourself, only to realize you felt the same as before? Becoming a follower of Christ does not guarantee that we will always feel the way we think we ought to. When we struggle with feeling the way we think we should in our walk with Christ, it can lead to confusion and shortsightedness. Thankfully, God does not call us to follow our feelings, but rather to be disciples of Christ.
Feelings are often seen as the ultimate standard for what is truth and what is real. To find the best solution in a difficult situation, one might say, “search your feelings” or “follow your heart.” This, however, leads to reasoning that is inconsistent and dependent on our circumstances. One day I may be feeling particularly generous, leading me to offer more to an individual in need. Perhaps this is because I witnessed an act of generosity, heard a motivational speech, or was simply enjoying the beauty of a pleasant day! What then happens on a more difficult day? Perhaps I feel tired and have no desire to interact with a stranger, or perhaps I am mindful of an upcoming bill, causing my hesitancy toward generosity. Because of my circumstance and mood, I decide that there is no need to be kind and generous. What changed? Was God’s standard different on one day versus the next? Certainly not. The only things that changed were my own mood, my priorities, and my attitude. Following my feelings would not have led me to the right decision but simply to whatever suited my mood.
Despite how I felt in the moment, what if I chose to do what I knew was God’s will anyway? No one would fault someone who struggles to desire what is right yet chooses the more difficult path anyway. In fact, this is quite noble. No one faults the person who fears, yet courageously pursues the noble thing, or the lazy person who chooses to work. In these instances, it is not the feeling that matters, but the deliberate action taken.
The desire to satisfy our feelings can be misleading and dangerous. We must allow God’s Word—not our feelings—to define the standards of righteousness and truth. In The Screwtape Letters, Chapter 4, C.S. Lewis satirically writes from the perspective of a demon attempting to teach his nephew how to harm a human’s relationship with God. Regarding prayer, he says,
“When they meant to ask Him for charity, let them, instead, start trying to manufacture charitable feelings for themselves…When they meant to pray for courage, let them really be trying to feel brave. When they say they are praying for forgiveness, let them be trying to feel forgiven. Teach them to estimate the value of each prayer by their success in producing the desired feeling; and never let them suspect how much success or failure of that kind depends on whether they are well or ill, fresh or tired, at the moment.”
While this letter is fictional, the truth is powerful. Too often, we focus less on the true purpose of prayer and more on how it makes us feel. The “success” of a prayer (or Bible reading, church service, Bible class, etc.) is not based on how we feel. If the success of a relationship depended solely on whether it “felt good,” that relationship would be unstable and inconsistent. Some view their salvation based on whether or not they feel “saved.” This misguided approach to godliness can leave us attempting to prove ourselves to God, while struggling to trust in Jesus’ sacrifice.
Our salvation is not based on how we feel, and our actions are not decided by feelings. The more we become like Jesus, the more our hearts, desires, and feelings will be aligned with God’s will. Often, this begins with a choice. Setting aside the old self with its passions and desires is counterintuitive and difficult, but the deeper we grow in our relationship with Christ, the easier this becomes. God created feelings for a purpose, and our relationship with Christ will strongly affect them for good. However, feelings are not the standard. Despite our feelings, we choose to do what is right and trust that Jesus fulfills His promises. We are disciples of Christ, not followers of feelings.
—Joshua Brown