More Than a Feeling

(Yes, I just called this post the title of a Boston song...)

I am too fueled by emotion.

I mean, emotion is certainly not all bad. In fact, our emotions can be the extra "kick" that drives us to great things. We "feel" passionate for something and go for it. We "feel" empathy at the right time and someone is helped, loved, cared for. But if we only allow our living out of purpose to be emotion or "feeling" driven, we are in big trouble. I especially think we are in trouble in a following-of-Jesus context...

Think about it. You go on some "mountain top experience", a mission trip, retreat, etc., you "feel" awesome, close to God, on a high. You may even still "feel it" for a couple of days. But then...you get tired. Your friends who don't give a flying flip about Jesus (and living for him) start calling, and they don't care about your nice feeling. Or your parents just were hoping for some peace and quiet while you were away, not for you to come back all "fired up for God", so your wind gets a bit taken out of your sails... But what will you do? Jesus knew it would be hard. Look at this:

18"Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: 19When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path. 20The one who received the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. 21But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away. 22The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful. 23But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown." (Matthew 13:18-23 NIV)

You may have read that before, who knows...but in addition to the obvious, "Some folks will just never really 'get it'"-connotations, I see a warning about letting emotions, feelings, and "stuff" run our hearts. I know it all too well...for example, I'm really tired right now (not just physically) after a fantastic second mission trip this summer...and my temptation is to just coast because I feel so emotionally, physically, spiritually (even...socaially?) drained. Are breaks good and needed? YES (and I will take one in a week), but that doesn't mean God isn't going to seek to use me. And I fear that is what we think: "I've been on this amazing thing, but God knows how hard I tried to be 'good', to work, etc., and so I'm sure he's cool if I just lay low and let loose a bit." That is a dangerous temptation. We also can end up with spiritual slumped-shoulders when "real life" hits us and we feel like we didn't deserve it ("God, I'm trying so hard...and look at all I've done...BLESS ME BLESS ME MAKE LIFE EASY!!!"). That's not it, either. Our faith must not be so easily swayed.

So which "seed" are you? One who doesn't give a rip at all? One who gets all excited about Jesus quickly, but likewise quickly just "forgets"? One who does hear and heed God's word...but lets emotion, feeling, stuff-of-life "neuter" you? Or some who allows roots to take hold, lives with purpose, seeks obedience above all else, and produces fruit?