Motivated by Faith or Feelings

Faith-motivation means we believe the Word of God and act on it no matter how we feel, because God promises a good result in His time. Our actions prove we trust God when we choose to obey His Word, even in difficult circumstances.

Feeling-motivation means we make decisions about life based on emotion and impulse. As believers, we are to obey God’s Word no matter how we feel. This does not mean that God discounts our feelings. Emotions do matter to God, but because our feelings often change we cannot base lifestyle decisions on them.

The Bible has many examples of men and women who chose to obey God in spite of their feelings.

Think of Noah (See Genesis 6:5-9:17).

Do you suppose he had any feelings as his peers mocked him for building an ark in the desert?

Do you think he had any feelings as his children were ridiculed because he was building a boat?

Noah still obeyed God!

Then, there is Moses (See Exodus 2:1-15).

He literally chose to suffer as God’s child rather than enjoy pleasure for a short time

Why?

Well, because Moses lived with eternity’s values in view.

Faith sees the “big picture.” We can read all throughout the Bible about others who were motivated by their faith in God and His promises, not by their feelings. They understood that feelings last only for a moment, but the rewards of faith are eternal!

Many believers want the promises of God’s Word without obedience to God’s Word. A great Scripture to look at is James 1:25, it shows us that we will be blessed by God when we:

1.) Look intently into the Word of God
2.) Abide (continue/live) in the Word of God
3.) Remind ourselves what we have learned from the Word of God
4.) Do (obey) what the Word of God and the Holy Spirit directs us to do no matter how we feel

It is not enough to just know the truth. Jesus said that we will be blessed when we do the things we have been taught from God’s Word (See John 13:17). We are faith-motivated when we love God so much that we act on His Word no matter how we feel. Right feelings will eventually follow right actions, but we don’t wait for right feelings to make right choices! We choose right actions because we love God more than we love ourselves (See 2 Corinthians 5:14a).