Some
people confuse a physical feeling with the presence of God. If the music is
just right, and the light is just so, and the meal is repeating, then God must
be present. But the reality is, feelings lie, feelings change. Feelings are a
source of information, just like sight, sound, smell, taste and touch. They add
something to the mix, but they can’t be the only source of information if we
are making decisions.
Do
an experiment for me. Think about one of the happiest moments of your life in
recent years and notice the feeling in your body change. (Stop and do it!) Now
think about a very difficult moment in your life and notice the feeling in your
body. (Stop!) Did you notice that the feeling changed based on what you
thought. Nothing else changed in those few moments other than what you were
thinking. Feelings shouldn’t drive a train. They change tracks too frequently.
We
have all had mountain top spiritual experiences, but that doesn’t mean that the
LORD is absent in the valleys and on the plains. The feeling we get when the
LORD is working in our lives is not something to be sought after as an end in
itself. The feeling is a byproduct of God’s presence, not a substitute or an
add-on.
And
yet, some churches make the feeling the most important part, or at least it
seems that way. Everything is orchestrated to get people to their feet and
raising their hands, shouting or weeping. But the feeling isn’t worship. I don’t
mean to say that their motives in worship are impure. I don’t know their
motives. But if their success point is an emotion rather than an encounter with
Almighty God, then they need to change their success point. Emotions are no
substitute.
The
problem with equating a feeling we get when we are in God’s presence with the
Holy Spirit’s work is that we demean the person of the Holy Spirit. Instead of
being co-equal with the father and the Son, we make Him just a feeling. We can’t
be honoring to Him when we demand that a physical feeling be the primary
reference point for His presence. He wants His presence acknowledged even when
the feeling isn’t present.
The
problem with feelings is that they get old. We want more and more thrilling
experiences as time progresses. And if the feeling isn’t there, then we feel
like something was missing. So our feelings end up driving our actions, rather
than obedience to His revealed will shaping and molding our feelings and
choices. We put the cart before the horse. Feelings are supposed to follow
actions not the other way around.