Monday Memo 1224: Walking by Faith

Your emotions are a gift from God, but they were never meant to be your guide. Feelings can fluctuate like the weather—bright one day, stormy the next. Faith, however, stands steady no matter the forecast. An important lesson if you want to find and fulfill your purpose is to keep moving when you find your emotions are uncertain, your circumstances are unclear, and your motivation is fading. In those moments, faith must take the lead and feelings must follow. Paul wrote, “For we walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7).

 

Peter discovered this lesson on a stormy night in Galilee (see Matthew 14:22-33). Jesus summoned him to step out of the boat and walk on water. At first, Peter’s faith outweighed his fear, and he did the impossible. But as soon as he focused on the wind and waves—what he saw and felt—he began to sink. His “reality” overruled his faith. Jesus reached out His hand, not to scold him, but to remind Peter that faith is what sustains us when the waters are turbulent.

 

Not too long ago, I sensed the Lord prompting me to launch a new ministry initiative. The problem was, I didn’t have the funds, the team, or a clear plan that my mind and emotions demanded before I could move forward. Everything in me said, “Wait until you feel more certain.” But the Lord kept whispering, “Go.” I took the first step—a bit nervous, uncertain, but obedient. Only after I took the first step did I see the doors open, the connections form, and the provision appear. Faith had to motivate me before my feelings caught up. And let me be more specific: it was fear that was my main enemy as it was for Peter.

 

Your purpose will confront you with the same challenge again and again. There will be times when enthusiasm fades, when you feel alone, or when results don’t match your effort. In those times, your faith must be anchored not in your emotions but in God’s unchanging truth and promise. The Psalmist understood this tension when he wrote, “Why, my soul, are you downcast? Put your hope in God” (Psalm 42:11). He spoke to his soul rather than from it. Faith speaks truth to feelings until feelings align with faith.

Faith is not denial of reality; it is confidence in God’s reality. It acknowledges fear but chooses trust. It recognizes pain but clings to promise. It sees the facts but rests in truth that God is greater than the facts. When you walk by faith, you are not pretending that problems don’t exist—you’re affirming that God exists and is bigger than your problems.

 

Purpose-driven, Spirit-led people can misinterpret emotional dryness as spiritual failure. Yet sometimes God hides His presence to deepen our dependence. When you can’t feel Him, you must trust that He’s still there. As A.W. Tozer once wrote, “Faith is the gaze of a soul upon a saving God.” The more you practice this gaze, the steadier your steps become, even when emotions and resources fluctuate.

 

Walking by faith is not a one-time decision—it’s a daily discipline. Each morning you choose to believe that God is working, even when you can’t see or feel the progress. Each evening you thank Him, even if you don’t feel gratitude. Over time, faith trains your emotions to follow truth instead of leading it.

 

So when you find yourself weary, fearful, or uncertain, remember to get back to basics: faith is not a feeling you wait for—it’s a choice you make. Keep walking, even if your knees shake and your pockets are empty. Faith grows stronger every time it carries you one more step forward toward your creative purpose.

 

 

1. In what recent situation did your feelings attempt to override your faith? How did you respond?

2. What “wind and waves” are distracting you right now?

3. How can you begin to speak truth to your emotions instead of allowing them to dictate your obedience?

 

 

 

 

This week, identify one area where you’ve been waiting to “feel ready” before acting in faith. Take one concrete step of obedience in that area—make the call, send the message, or begin the project. Then record how your faith grew once you acted. Remember, feelings follow obedience; they seldom precede it.