Live beyond feelings

By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. (2 Peter 1:3)

We might not 'feel' like we have what it takes to live godly lives, make right choices, and be at peace with ourselves, much less others. Those feelings can be overwhelming at times, almost stifling any forward movement we desire to make in our spiritual lives. Truth be told, we sometimes need to engage in a little 'self-talk' to tell our feelings to take a hike! If we relied upon how we 'felt' everyday, many of us would never make it out of bed! God has given us everything - not just some of the stuff, but all of whatever it is we need in order to live godly lives. If we can just remind ourselves of this whenever we feel like we cannot put one foot in front of the other, feeling like every decision to live according to his principles is just 'too difficult', we might just get beyond those feelings a little quicker. Why do you suppose God told us to get scripture into our hearts and minds? He knew we'd need it to counter the 'feelings' that lead us down a contrary path on occasion.

All we need for godly living - received by entering into his family, bolstered within his family, and shared because we are in family. As we come to know him, we get placed within the family of God. We no longer walk alone, but according to the grace of God dwelling within us. How do we come to 'know' anyone on this earth? Isn't it because we spend time with them? If we spend only a meager amount of time with Jesus each day, do we think we will have a deep and lasting relationship with him? If we spend very little time with his family of believers, who will we 'do life' with instead? God gives us all we need and that includes the determination of heart and mind to live beyond our feelings. If you ever went to work on a day when you just didn't 'feel like it', you chose something other than what you were feeling and acted upon that choice instead. Sometimes we have to act 'beyond' or 'above' those feelings we have of not being able to walk this Christ-filled life. Yes, we made mistakes and we blundered, but those feelings of guilt or shame don't have control over us - God's grace does.

Living beyond our feelings begins when we remind ourselves that his grace and power is greater than our 'feelings'. By his divine power might just become the most important words within this passage for some of us. We don't take our next steps without his divine power. We don't overcome our lackluster feelings or doldrums by any other means than his divine power. Don't know what the doldrums are? It is the state of inactivity - of stagnation - that can hold us back and keep us from entering into what God intends for each of us. If that is where you find yourself from time to time, take heart - God has given you his divine power to move beyond the stagnancy of heart that has kept you mired down. We just need to allow his power to begin to 'talk over' the voice of our 'feelings'. Just sayin!