Our faith should not only be an emotional experience. We should love God with both our hearts and minds. 2 Timothy 2:15 encourages us:
“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.” (2 Timothy 2:15 ESV)
Now, this isn’t about appearing super smart and intellectually superior. In 1 Corinthians 2, the Apostle Paul explains that he preached the Gospel not with “persuasive words,” but as a demonstration of the power of the Holy Spirit. The Gospel is not complicated to understand and through reading and studying the Bible, we find logical support for the faith we hold in Christ, so we can communicate it with others. Emotional experiences are good and God uses them to draw us to Him, but we also need to love God with our minds, especially when we can’t feel Him. Our faith can’t be based on feelings alone, since feelings come and go. By studying God’s word and meditating on the scriptures, we show ourselves approved as 2 Timothy 2:15 describes. Today, I invite you to recommit to studying God’s powerful Word for yourself.
Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for Your Word that renews my heart, mind, and spirit. Please help me to study Your Word more to transform not simply how I feel, but deepen my relationship with You. In Jesus Christ’s Name, I pray, Amen.