“On a scale of 1 to 10, how’s your pain?”
Often, my kids will come and say they have a headache or a tummy ache, or their throat is sore, or they hurt their knee. I can’t feel their pain, but I can sympathize and guess what it feels like based on my own experiences.
But mostly, I have to take it on testimony. If my kids say they’re in pain, I have to take their word for it.
Have you ever noticed that so much of the Christian life depends on believing God’s testimony in the absence of your feelings?
I was reading Watchman Nee’s The Normal Christian Life; he described how some people can become so conscious of their sins and so weighted down by them, that they seem greater than the blood of Christ. Nee explained that’s a mistake:
“Now the whole trouble with us is that we are trying to sense it; we are trying to feel its value and to estimate subjectively what the Blood is for us. We cannot do it; it does not work that way” (p. 20).
So how does it work?
As Nee explained, you must look past your feelings and accept God’s testimony about the value of the blood:
“No, it is a matter of faith in God’s Word. We have to believe that the Blood is precious to God because he says it is so (1 Peter 1:18, 19)” (p. 20).
You might not feel the value of the blood, but so what? You might not feel it when your kids are in pain, but you take their word that they are in pain. Likewise, you may not feel the value of the blood, but you should take God’s word that it is valuable to Him.
Frankly, it’s hard to walk by faith when your feelings say one thing, and God’s Word says another. But that’s key to spiritual growth: believe God’s testimony. It can save you from a spiritual headache.
David Wyatt
That’s excellent brother Shawn!! Thanks, I needed that!
jeff1
That was good medicine for a spiritual headache.
KEN TAMASHIRO
Thank You, Pastor Shawn,
Speaking about Testimony,… The Apostle Paul alludes to the idea about a Testimony of a Jew who came to Believe in Jesus in the Book of Romans. Their Testimony will be confirmed by these facts.
Romans 10:8 But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith which we preach): 9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.” 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. 13 For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
Grace and Peace to You,
Ken
Alvin
God’s Testimony of His Son
1 John 5:9-11
9 If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater; for this is the witness of God which He has testified of His Son. 10 He who BELIEVES in the Son of God has the witness in himself; he who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed the testimony that God has given of His Son. 11 And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. 12 He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.
John 3:18. He who BELIEVES in Him is not condemned: but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
Tim Amoroso
Our salvation was already completely accomplished. There are no more works we need to add to it to futher accomplish it. It is already finished. We only did 1 passive act of faith, just believe , to have that free gift Jesus promises to all. Salvation in eternity is not an issue for us anymore. But salvation from trouble in this life is now our issue. Yes, I agree with you that continuing to believe God’s testimony is key for us to overcome troubles in this life. Good article and God bless.
Leo Z
Thanks for this post Pastor Shawn. Feelings for the most part can and do lie, and therefore not wholly reliable. God’s word on the other hand, is always true and sure and can fully be relied on. One should not look unto his feelings for guidance but always unto God and His Word.
However, feelings are part of who we are. You can’t ignore them. Feelings are always to be affirmed in the light of Scripture and not vice versa. This practice should be extended to how one interprets the meaning of Scripture. Too many times, people make Scripture fit in with their feelings and read into it their own understanding, instead primarily of letting Scripture affirm or negate them. A sad and huge error. (Proverbs 3:5-6)
Thanks for sharing. You and GES are in my prayers.