Transaction

4/17/2020

John 21:7 “Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girt his fisher’s coat unto him…and did cast himself into the sea.”

Emotion and faith are a tricky combination. I am emotional about my faith, but should I let my emotion rule it? I cry easily when I pray, worship, or speak of the love and sacrifice of Jesus, but how often do I let my emotion interfere with my walk? How often do the emotions of sadness, fear, depression, or even happiness affect my faith? Honestly, this probably happens too often. I tend to be a hyperemotional person, and I am sadly double minded sometimes. Satan knows this about me and, if I am not vigilant, he will pull on every string and press every button to keep me ineffective for God. Lord forgive my weakness.

Years ago, my family attended a large Pentecostal church, and I loved it. The people there were so kind and had such passionate faith. They worshiped with all of themselves, and it was so beautiful. This denomination also speaks in tongues, and that was something unfamiliar to me. They believe it is a gift of the Spirit and a deeper way to pray. They also would slay people in the Spirit, which is when you are prayed over and, for lack of a better description, pass out. I will admit that I was fascinated by these occurrences, as my thirst for a deeper faith was very strong. 

I would pray for clarity about these gifts and ask God to keep my spirit open. I prayed, and I prayed. During the service I would listen to others speak in tongues and wait for interpretation, but it never came. I would also answer the alter call and have people pray over me, tears streaming down my face and wait to be slain, but I never was. I would get emotional about what I felt was a lack of faith on my part. I felt unworthy and too young in my faith journey. Yes, Satan can certainly use our feelings against us.

In the end, we moved from the area and had to leave our church family. Although neither gift of the Spirit happened to me, during our time with this wonderful body of believers, my God became much bigger. The box I had kept Him in had not just been opened, but torn asunder. This did not come out of emotion, but out of a continual seeking out of wisdom, and by keeping my heart open to the Holy Spirit.

Chambers says, “If you allow emotion first, you will never make the transaction. Do not ask God what the transaction is to be, but make it in regard to the thing you do see, either in the shallow or profound place.”