Luke 14:28
For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it?
Neither good or bad emotions are the foundation on which we build our faith. If they are, then our faith will last as long as the emotion. This is why the Church has never much gone in for revivalism. Calls to repentance? Fine. Urgent exhortations to believe in Jesus? More power to ’em. But there has to be more than just getting ginned up on enthusiasm. For faith is a “long obedience in the same direction” and requires, not just a burst of adrenaline, but a dogged sticktoitiveness when the chips are down. That is why the Church, like Jesus, urges us to “count the cost” and be sure what we are getting into when we place our faith in Christ. In the words of Bonhoeffer, “When Christ calls a man, He bids Him come and die.” That’s a call that requires sober thought and a firm will. Today, ask God to help you put your faith in Him, not in feelings.
