I’ve Heard It Said That Feelings Follow Actions

This article is part of the I’ve Heard It Said series.

Subject Your Feelings to God’s Word

I’ve heard it said that feelings follow actions. I do think that’s true. Sometimes, especially when it comes to things like spiritual disciplines, if we rely on our feelings and we wait until we feel inspired or we wait until we feel lots of affection for the Lord, if we wait for those things before coming to his word, then we might not come at all. Because though our feelings are part of God’s created design for us, they still need to be subjected to God’s word and to what is true.

Everyday Faithfulness

Glenna Marshall

This book explores what daily faithfulness to Christ looks like when spiritual growth seems hard to measure, working through the unique challenges to faithfulness during seasons of waiting, doubting, caretaking, suffering, and more.

Sometimes we need to tell our feelings what is true, and Scripture can do that for us. And sometimes our feelings lag behind a little, quite honestly. And so I think that we do need to sometimes act first and let our feelings catch up.

If you are feeling that you need to read your Bible but you just don’t feel like it, or you want to pray but there’s maybe no affection for the Lord, do it anyway. Eventually, those things that you were doing—reading Scripture and praying—will actually warm your affections for the Lord and ignite those feelings that you’re waiting for. So sometimes action is necessary first so that the feelings can catch up later. Feelings follow actions. I would give that saying a seven star rating, if we’re thinking about it correctly.

Glenna Marshall (BA, Union University) is a pastor’s wife and mother of two energetic sons. She is the author of The Promise Is His Presence and writes regularly at GlennaMarshall.com on biblical literacy, suffering, and the faithfulness of God. She is a member of Grace Bible Fellowship in Sikeston, Missouri.

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