For more than a decade, I’ve written about faith and God—seeking His will, following His Word, and trusting His plan. But actually doing these things is difficult. I hardly ever feel like doing them.
Frankly, though, I think the Church often puts too much pressure on believers to feel certain things—like to feel happy or excited about reading the Bible, praying, going to church, etc. I think this pressure can be more harmful than helpful, causing believers to focus too much on emotions and not enough on obedience. But based on what I’ve read in God’s Word over the years, I’ve come to this conclusion: Our obedience matters more than our emotions.
Confessions of a Grumpy Churchgoer
Going to church has been especially challenging for me lately. I like my church, and the people there are great. The preaching, teaching, and worship are sound and scriptural. I attend and serve every Sunday, yet I rarely feel like I’m truly being edified or truly edifying others.
I should look forward to this. I should enjoy this. I should go home feeling great about everything and everyone.
Thoughts like those often fill my mind. Instead of leaving church with joy and enthusiasm, I generally leave with discouragement and frustration. Sometimes, I even feel irritated with God, others, or myself.
Why do I even bother with church? What’s the point of going if I don’t really get anything out of it? Does going to church still “count” as obedience if I don’t feel good while I’m doing it?
If you’ve ever had similar thoughts about church (or a different area of your faith), then you’ve probably been tempted to stop showing up entirely. You rarely feel excited about doing the right thing, and you rarely feel refreshed once you’ve done it. And that leads you to believe something is seriously wrong with you.
But friends, God doesn’t command you to feel a certain way; He commands you to live a certain way. Your submission to Him—not your fickle, fleeting feelings about Him—reveal your love for Him. Your emotions matter, but your obedience matters more.
Love Looks Like Obedience
“If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.” (John 14:15 NASB1995)
This is one of my favorite verses because it’s so straightforward. Jesus didn’t tell His disciples, “If you love Me, you will feel happy about My commandments.” He simply told them to show their love through their obedience.
That’s good news, friends! It means that even if you don’t want to read the Bible, pray, go to church, or _____ [fill in the blank with a biblical command] but you choose to do it anyway, you’re showing Jesus you love Him. Yes, feeling good is ideal, but it’s not required for obedience.
So wake up and go to church, even if you feel a little sleepy or irritated. Spend time thanking God and asking Him for what you need, even if you feel a little weary or discouraged. Read His Word and reflect on what you read, even if you feel a little confused or distracted.
Keep doing the right thing with the right perspective, knowing that your love for Jesus ultimately shines through your obedience, not your emotions.
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