Tuesday: Faith Is Not a Feeling
Daily Lesson for Tuesday 19th of May 2026
Jesus said that if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you’ll move mountains (Matthew 17:20). If you’ve ever seen a mustard seed, you know how tiny it is. Yet, having faith this small can effect such huge change. Faith must, therefore, be very important and must also be powerful and strong enough to do something superhuman. However, just as a mustard seed can grow into a large tree (Matthew 13:31-32), our faith should grow and not remain static.
Indeed, we need a measure of faith in order to have a relationship with God in the first place (see Romans 12:3).
What does Ephesians 2:8 tell us about the role of faith in being saved? Why can’t a person justly say, “I don’t have faith because God hasn’t given me any”?
Image © Providence Collection at Goodsalt.com
We must first understand that faith is not a material thing; it’s a human response prompted by the Holy Spirit. God is the gracious initiator, who, through the Holy Spirit, draws us to Himself when we allow Him to do so (Jeremiah 31:3). We’re saved by grace, through faith, which is a response to God’s grace given to us through Jesus’ death. We are saved because we believe in God as a result of His grace. This lies at the heart of having a relationship with Him.
Next, we must remember that faith is not a feeling. “Many do not exercise that faith which it is their privilege and duty to exercise, often waiting for that feeling which faith alone can bring. Feeling is not faith. . . . Faith is ours to exercise, but joyful feeling and the blessing are God’s to give.”—Ellen G. White, Early Writings, p. 72.
Some people might feel as though they don’t have faith because they don’t feel close to God or are not what they should be as a Christian. But faith is about believing and trusting God, not only in the good times but in darkness or in a storm, or even when you can’t fully understand what is going on in your life.
Feelings should never dominate our religious experience or our relationship with God. It’s precisely when we think we’re distant from God that we need to exercise our faith and call on Him (as did the father in Mark 9:24).
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Look up the following Bible verses and claim them as an act of faith to strengthen your relationship with God today: Hebrews 12:1-2; 2 Chronicles 15:7; Romans 3:23-26; Luke 7:50. Speak them out loud as part of your prayer to God. |
It is useful in this discussion about having faith to explore the relationship between belief and faith. The two terms are often used interchangeably in common usage but philosophers, theologians and pedantic linguists draw a distinction. I will be as succinct as I can:
An illustration helps us understand the difference:
A group of spectators watch a tightrope walker, wheel a wheelbarrow full of bags of cement over a deep gully with a raging boulder filled river hundreds of metres below. He repeats the performance several times. Then he walks across to the spectators and asks, “Do you believe I could push a wheelbarrow with a person in it across this gap?” They all nodded and agreed that he could do it. The tightrope walker then called for volunteers to sit in the wheelbarrow!
You can believe something to be true, based on evidence of logic but taking action based on that belief requires something more than mental assent. Faith is not a feeling.
Read Hebrews 11 again. It is not an intellectual exercise; it is an action narrative.
Thank you for this distinction, I never considered this!
Thank you, Maurice.
In the contemporary world feelings have been given more credit, space and authority than they deserve. Talk of fear, anxiety, happiness, sadness, anger, frustration, disappointment, loneliness, excitement shame, pride, and emotional pain just to mention a few. With many Christians basing their spiritual experiences on purely feelings and emotions. If we focus on emotional state when it comes to spiritual matters it means we cannot understand God for we are not saved just because we feel saved. We are saved because we have faith in God’s Word. All other things are transient but the only thing that is stable and constant is God’s Word. For God’s Word is the same yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8). This implies that for our relationship with God to be stable, it must be based on what the Lord says which is clearly more than our feelings that vary regularly. As the Bible says, “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17).
Since feelings vary and change based on circumstances, we must learn to live by faith and not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7). We must live by faith when we recognise by knowing that our union with Christ is spiritual not carnal. In other words we must relate and connect with Christ through His Spirit. We must grow to a level of knowing that living by sight focuses on material and physical things which remain temporal. On the other hand living by faith is based on the happiness of the future that God has prepared for us (John 14:2). Even the Scriptures remind us that “the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:18). Therefore, a believer must not depend on changing emotions or outward situations, but on the eternal and unchanging Word of God.
Thank you for the comment. It has really enlightened me more than I thought.
This part says it all;
(Proverbs 3:5)
Many times we incline to our selfishness and imagine that faith is about us. This might be the reason why today we sound like we are talking of something we see visibly or hold in our hands or keep in our pockets—something that our mood or feelings can control. But faith is not about that; we should recognize this. Faith is about God and is a personal connection between an individual and God that is accessed by our choice—a choice to trust and believe in God or to rebel and doubt God.
(2 Corinthians 5:7, Hebrews 11:1)
Faith is about God and is an access point to what has been given to man freely—God’s love—but we have to trust and believe in God wholly. Trusting and believing will lead us to obedience of God’s laws and statutes. (Ephesians 2:8, John 14:15)
So, it’s not about me or how I feel, but how we commit ourselves to God by trusting and obeying Him at all times, even on the worst of our days. It’s not about how I feel but how I accept God to be my helper and protector.(Romans 8:28, Psalms 46:1)
Well-said!
Faith is the fruit of the Spirit. Without the Spirit of God in us and leading us, it is not possible to have faith. Without faith, we can not please God. Without faith, we can not be saved. So much is at stake without faith. Therefore, if there is something we ought to pray for consistently and persistently is faith.
Dear Jesus, I come before You acknowledging how much I need You. Your Word says, “Without faith it is impossible to please God” (Hebrews 11:6), and I confess that without Your Spirit working in me, I can do nothing. Holy Spirit, lead me, guide me, and produce in me the fruit of faith. I surrender my weakness to You, knowing that only You can make my faith firm and alive.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.
Amen brother.
Amen indeed 🙏
Faith is not a feeling, yet since I have a solid faith in God on a daily basis garnered from a daily relationship with Our Father through Jesus our Lord, I do have a feeling of rejoicing, gladness and peace. Yes happiness also. We are not saying to avoid feelings, just faith is not a feeling. Faith is about us without my faith in God gifted to me by God I am doomed. If I don’t have a personal faith in God how is my light to shine, hopfully not under a bushel where no one can see it.
If somebody says “show me your faith” what then can we show him\her?
Very good question Sam.
Sam…getting a cancer diagnosis without getting upset or worrisome about it is showing faith. Going through the surgery and treatments without worry is showing faith. People said “I don’t get you.” My only explanation is that I knew, as I still know, God is in control. What would worry do? Somewhere in scripture, it’s said that worry is a sin anyway. I give God all the credit for being my strenth, then and still today. That was in 2019 when I was diagnosed with colon cancer, since I’ve had skin cancer…same feeling. I mean truly, if we claim to have a Savior in Jesus our Lord, putting everything in His hands is faith.
As I say this, I want to also express strongly that just because I had the experience that I had, without worry, I don’t want to think it’s wrong of people who don’t react as I did. My only explanation is it was God living out faith through my personal situation. If HE did it for me, and how I praise HIM for it, I know HE can for anyone else.
Amen Belinda.
Actions , to live a holy life, respect the commandments follow the law and to love God with all our hearts. By praising him and living as he asks of us .
Sam – may I suggest the inquire: ‘show me your faith’, can be satisfied by a life expressing the fruit of the Spirit –
Gal.5:22-23 – ”But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”
God, please strengthen my faith in you.
“For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.” Romans 1:17
We read about how important faith is in our Christian walk. We sing about how faith is the victory. However, when we distill it down, what exactly is faith. I’m reminded of an old poem which I had to look up because it has been so long since I read it.
Three men were walking on a wall – Feeling, Faith and Fact; When Feeling took an awful fall and Faith was taken back; So close was Faith to Feeling, he stumbled and fell too, But Fact remained and pulled Faith back and Faith brought Feeling too. Feeling was leading the way with Faith close behind him and Fact at the rear. Feeling had nothing to focus on, so he stumbled and fell off the wall. Faith was following Feeling, hugely influenced by him and when Feeling fell, he fell too, because his focus was on Feeling. Fact only had his eyes on the goal and when he saw his friends fall, he rescued them. From then on Fact led the way with Faith behind and Feeling bringing up the rear, and all was well.
~Author Unknown
“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Hebrews 11:1
The “evidence” or from the poem, “fact” is what anchors and informs our faith. We are not called to have a blind faith but one informed and anchored by the evidence of what God has done in the past in both Bible times as well as in our lives. It gives us “substance,” something that we can hang onto. The reality that the same God Who came through in history will come through in this present age, and even in the future.
If we base our faith on feelings then we will be tossed to and fro, and be setup for a nasty fall, because, “feelings come and feelings go and feelings are deceiving. I’ll put my faith in the Word of God because nothing else is worth believing…” Feelings may or may not follow faith, what matters is that we follow our fact instructed faith instead of relying on our feelings. Jesus didn’t feel like going to Calvary, but he submitted his will to the father, and by faith accomplished our salvation.
“For we have not followed cunningly devised fables when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty.” 1 Peter 1:16 We aren’t following fables or fabrications but evidence revealed by eyewitnesses as well as our own witness.
Songwriter and theologian, Michael Card puts it this way; “To hear with my heart, to see with my soul, to be guided by a hand I cannot hold, to trust in a way that I cannot see, that’s what faith must be.”
That’s What Faith Must Be, Michael Card
Tim – what a beautiful song!!! I hope everyone will click on the link and listens the wonderful melody and Michael’s inspired words! 🙂
The poem you shared made me think about which would be the best line-up. I do not want to sound critical, but do you think that ‘fact’ should lead the way to remedy the problem of everyone ending up ‘falling off the wall’?
Did you notice that ‘faith’ was not mentioned outright as a leader, and that when ‘feeling’ fell, it was seemingly due to them being too close together so that when ‘feeling’ fell he took ‘faith’ with him?
To prevent ‘anyone falling off the wall’, would you not agree that ‘faith’ should be placed at the front of the line instead of ‘fact’? As long as ‘faith’ keeps a save distance from ‘feeling’, the line-up which is most safe would be: ‘faith’, followed by ‘fact, and at the end ‘feeling’. What do you think?
I love this illustration!! Makes so much sense! It has reignited my fire this sabbath morning
Yes, indeed Brigitte, that is a great song. I often find myself humming or singing it to myself.
I kindly disagree that faith should lead for this one reason, true faith must be anchored to some reality, some fact. That’s why I say that we must have an informed faith. We don’t believe in Santa Claus, the tooth fairy, or the Easter Bunny, because they are not real, they are mythological creations.
Tim – please allow me to respond to your consideration that “Faith needs an anchor”. It is precisely because faith not needing an anchor – not being anchored to any observable ‘facts’ – that faith can be experienced as God’s Justice, Mercy and Grace. God’s response cannot be earned through works or justified through/by natural evidence. Only when perceiving faith as ‘untethered’ can it manifest as:
Heb.11:1 – ”… faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”
God’s Mercy and Grace gifted faith to man to be the means by which to engage with Him in spiritual fellowship. Because we cannot see Him, we need to believe He exists. Maurice’s comment points out that “‘believe is intellectual assent’, and faith is ‘active trust and commitment’”. Respectfully, I hold that even the first ‘step’ – believe – is inspired by the Holy Spirit. Matt.16:17; 1Cor.2:14; Matt.11:27.
Because faith is God’s gift to man, it is in and off itself the substance of that which we hope for and the evidence of things not seen. Therefore, faith holds the first place of all that follows – first faith, then revealed fact/evidence, and lastly feelings – because God has made it plain through faith’. Rom.1:15-17.
Could you please describe this faith to which you refer in real-life terms (not quoting Scripture)? How does one acquire such “faith” that requires no anchor? And how does it differ from “faith” in Santa Claus or the tooth fairy?
Dear Brigitte,
These are my thoughts…
When we read Hebrews 11, the faith chapter, all the patriarchs did what they did by faith in God who told them to do it…
Take for example, Noah built the ark as God had told him to, he built the ark by faith for the saving of the people based on the knowledgeand trust he had on God’sword…
The same with Abraham,by faith he left for the promised land, not knowing where exactly he was going but trusting in the one that said it…
And the list continues…
*the point I’m trying to make with my limited knowledge is, that we’re not called to have blind faith but rather an informed faith*
🙏 Faith does not need an anchor is the entire point indeed
Am happy to hear from you
Can you imaging God’s power being contained in a small mustard seed, and that engaging in faith can ‘move mountains’? I know that it is as easy for God to set up mountains as it is to bring them down. Of all things regarding Christianity, our persistent application of faith is its most significant aspect, but we seem to lack the understanding of its power.
Heb.11:1 – ”Without faith, it is impossible to please God …”
Eph.2:8 – ”For by Grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God.”
Ellen G. White’s quote in this lesson – “Faith is ours to exercise, but joyful feeling and the blessing are God’s to give.”
I wonder if we will ever be able to correctly understand ‘faith’ and its application in and the benefits to our life. Our faith places our life within the Spirit of Jesus Christ. We have taken this place voluntarily, but do we take full advantage of this special privilege? Do we know how to fully benefit from our oneness with Jesus Christ, and, by being in Him, our oneness with the Father? As Christians, we cannot come any closer to the Father than through being in Christ Jesus – what is holding us back from fully exercising our faith? Luke 7:50
To me, faith is something practical. And of course, it is practiced while I face the unknown. Life’s difficulties make me practice my faith, and I guess I always need to improve. As infinite as God, faith can grow, although sometimes it may seem to me as if it does not exist.