This past Saturday, my husband and I attended the wedding of our eldest grandson. What a memorable occasion as they exchanged their vows in one of the sweetest ceremonies I've ever witnessed.
Of course, a lot was said about love. And the minister, the bride's father, read aloud the greatest discourse on love ever written, 1 Corinthians 13, which clearly states, contrary to popular belief, that love is NOT a feeling.
Many couples head to the divorce court because they don't feel "in love" anymore. If love is not a feeling, what is it?
Love is an act of the will.
Love's presence is shown by our loving actions, not by our feelings of infatuation.
Love is a commitment.
Love desires the best for another and is willing to sacrifice self for the well being of the one loved.
Many people believe that just because they feel a certain way about something, it must be true. But the truth is, feelings are not facts. Feelings are just feelings. In fact, feelings are are as changeable as the weather and just as hard to predict. They can often result from unrealistic thinking.
Unfortunately, many Americans are governed largely by their feelings. How many times do we hear, "If it feels good, do it"? Or, "Will it make me happy." That is the message of every advertisement and many movies.
Using feelings as the criteria for decision-making is usually disastrous. For example, when your alarm goes off in the morning, do you feel like getting up? If you depended solely on your feelings, you would soon lose your job. Decisions must be based on facts.
We don't always feel like loving, but when we act in loving ways, the feelings will follow.
When it comes to our relationship with God, how often do we focus entirely on feelings? We say,
"I don't feel forgiven." Or, "I don't feel God's presence."
Because we don't feel a certain way, we fail to recognize God's presence or His forgiveness.
According to 2 Corinthians 5:7,
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| Courtesy Google.com |
Our faith is based not on what we see with our eyes or feel in our hearts, but on the facts we read in God's Word. God has promised to be with us always (Matthew 28:20). God says if we confess our sins, he will forgive us (1 John 1:9). We can depend on those facts.
The writer of Hebrews points out that "without faith, it is impossible to please God" (11:6). What is faith? It is taking God at His word that He exists and believing that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him. It is not based on our feelings but on God's statements of facts.
Feelings add richness to our lives. They certainly should be considered in decision-making, but they should not be the sole basis for our choices.
Don't build your life on the shifting sands of your feelings but on the solid facts of God's unchanging Word!
