February 26, 2020 - Chapter 1 - Question 10

Dealing with "feelings" in our life as Christians can be very difficult. Our feelings can tend to control our every mood and decisions in our life. I remember a simple illustration that has helped me to overcome my wrong feelings.

This illustration showed a train with three cars attached, the engine, the coal car, and the caboose. Each had its purpose of function. The engine was the power that pulled the other two cars down the tracks; the coal car was the fuel that fed the engine, and the caboose was following behind carrying the passengers. Now the question was posed to the reader of this illustration: how many times have you seen the engine car (the power) pulling the other cars down tracks? Of course always! And how many times have you seen the caboose pulling the cars down the tracks? Never. But let’s now change the dynamics of this train. Let’s call the engine car “God’s word,” the coal car our “faith,” and the caboose our “feelings.” Now let me pose the question: how many times do we allow God’s word to be the power in our life leading our lives down the tracks of life? Ah, very little. But how many times do we allow our “feelings” to run our life without referring to God’s word? Almost always.

The point of this illustration is to put our feelings under control of God's word in our lives and let our faith believe in His word and not allow our "feelings" to control our lives.

Question: 10

As we come to God wanting to fully surrender but still hesitate in doing so because our “feelings” are not allowing us to do so, what must we ask of God to help us do? Did Jesus struggle with similar feelings in His own life when He didn’t want to do the thing that He feared the most? (Page 6

ANSWER To Question 10 (As stated by the Author)

And if you come and say: "Lord, I yield myself in absolute surrender to my God," even though it be with a trembling heart and with the consciousness: "I do not feel the power, I do not feel the determination, I do not feel the assurance," it will succeed. Be not afraid, but come just as you are, and even in the midst of your trembling the power of the Holy Spirit will work.

Looking forward to your comments of this question.