Rooted And Grounded | Northstar Church

“God is not a man, so he does not lie. He is not human, so he does not change his mind. Has he ever spoken and failed to act? Has he ever promised and not carried it through?” – Numbers 23:19.

This week we have been talking about feeling God, sensing His presence. But God’s presence “feels like” different things to different people, and even different ways in different circumstances. I don’t want to describe it as a feeling, because it can be so much more than that. To me, it is the basic knowledge that something greater than us makes His presence known to us. It can be a supernatural event than only God could have accomplished, or it could be hearing His still small voice. I’ve been in hospital where God’s presence is palpable. But it is not always like that, which makes defining the presence of God difficult. People are often burdened down by the expectations of what His presence should feel and look like. Too often, we are looking for manifestations, rather than simply seeking Him.

In this week ending devotional, I would like to remind everyone that the Christian faith is not grounded in subjective feelings; rather, it’s rooted in the Word of God and who Jesus Christ is. We can become too focused on what we are feeling. When we let our feelings lead the way, when we make decisions on sensing the presence of God, we tend to make some bad decisions. If our feelings and experiences don’t match up with God’s Word—the fault lies with us, not Him. “But I prayed for such-and-such, and God didn’t come through for me!” is a common response, “and now I can’t trust Him or believe His promises.” (On demand God) Or, “I was expecting a whole lot more good times, but what I’ve experienced is only bad times.” (Killjoy God)

God cares deeply about each one of your painful past experiences and each one of your current struggles. The answers and “reasons why” may not always be immediately clear. But if you learn to place His unchanging, eternal truth far above your own feelings and experiences, you will soon begin to experience a level of faith you never thought possible.

So ground your life in the scriptures. Live your life upon the belief that God’s Word is the perfect revelation of fact. Once you have settled it in your heart that Scripture is Truth and that the Bible is reality, emotions will play a much smaller role. Set aside some purposeful time each day to study and meditate upon God’s Word. Learn how to explore Scripture and delve deep into God’s meaning behind every verse. Ask God’s Spirit to make His timeless Word truly come alive to you.

Discussion Questions:

How does the Bible help you live out your faith everyday?
The word, in that it comes from God, is utterly trustworthy because God is utterly trustworthy. Agree or disagree and why?
What can we do this week to live by God’s truth rather than our emotions?