What to Do When You Don’t FEEL Like It

As you and I know very well, feelings come and go, and they love to take charge in virtually every realm of life. As you and I also know, allowing feelings to dictate your life generates self-inflicted pain and is the wrong way to live. Life is fun when feelings are positive, but miserable when they are not pleasing to God.
 
So how do we respond?
 
We know we are a progressive work in process. While we work to reshape our feelings by renewing our minds through the empowering ministry of the Holy Spirit, we need to commit to willingly live in honor of the Lord anyway.
 
In spite of your feelings:
 
Pray anyway: “And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:7). Remember, Jesus is praying for you.
 
Read and study the Bible anyway: “When you received the word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it really is, the word of God, which also performs its work in you who believe” (1 Thess. 2:13).
 
Resist anyway: “Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you” (James 4:7).
 
Forgive anyway: “Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you” (Eph. 4:32).
 
Bless anyway: “Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse” (Rom. 12:14).
 
Do good anyway: “Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary” (Gal. 6:9).
 
Serve anyway: Focus beyond your own needs to others, look to give your time and energy to others, love one another.
 
Obey anyway: “Blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it” (Luke 11:28).
 
You get the picture. God doesn’t condition His instruction to us on the weakness or strength of our feelings at any given moment. Sure, we all want our feelings to consistently match our words and actions, but aren’t you glad that those who were very angry with you at the moment didn’t physically act on it?
 
Would you be shocked or horrified if I told you that there have been times that I didn’t feel like preaching? And I love to preach and teach God’s Word.
 
Let’s give God the glory anyway, even when we’re not feeling it. He deserves it no matter what.
 
Pastor Jeff
 
P.S. Here’s a great resource to assist you in growing in your emotional life by Dr. Bob Kellemen, ABC"s of Emotional Health.