When Feelings FailSermon by: Harrison Chokka Summarized by: Stefani Lisk Building faith can be a challenging task. How do I move forward when my feelings won’t catch up to my faith? We have some answers for you, but first, dial in… our sermon for this week came from a long passage of scripture. 1 Kings 17 In the beginning of 1 Kings 17, the Israelites, who were God's people, had turned away from Him and were worshipping the false god Baal. This was considered evil in the eyes of the Lord. The Israelites, in this case, can be seen as a metaphor for humanity as a whole. Just as the Israelites worshipped idols, people today may worship other things such as power, money, and pleasure. Despite this, God remains faithful to His people, even when we are unfaithful to Him. This is a reminder of His unwavering love and mercy. 1 Kings 17 The lack of rain represents a difficult situation for the Israelites. Rain their lifeline and is essential for their livelihood and sustenance, so its absence is a significant threat. In this passage, God is depicted as cutting off the lifeline of the Israelites in order to show them who is truly in control, ironically by exerting his power over the storm God, Baal who would claim to bring rain. This may seem harsh, but it serves as a reminder that God is the one who ultimately controls the flow. We may believe that we are in control, that it’s only because of our grind that we have got to where we are, but in reality, it is God. This lesson is an important one for us to learn; because [we] need to know who controls the Flow, and it’s not us. In some cases, God may cut off the flow, so we know who controls it. This is not necessarily a punishment or judgement, but rather an act of mercy. For example, if someone loses their job or experiences some other difficult situation, it may be because God is trying to redirect them on a different path. This can be hard to accept at first, but in the long run, it can lead to greater peace and happiness. It can also help us to develop a deeper trust in God and a better understanding of His plan for our lives. 1 Kings 17 It is important to pay attention to the line "I have," as it reminds us that God is the one who provides for us and opens doors for us. We should not underestimate God's power and control over our lives, and instead trust in His plan for us. This can help us to have faith and to rely on Him in difficult times. Elijah is directed by God to go to Zarephath and stay with a widow who will provide him with food. When Elijah arrives, he asks the widow for a drink and some bread, but she replies that she only has a small amount of flour and oil left, and that she and her son were planning to eat it and then die. 1 Kings 17 It may not seem like a difficult request. However, the passage takes place during a drought, so the widow is struggling to survive. In this context, Elijah's request may seem almost unfathomable to her. This highlights the difficult situation that the widow is facing and the extent of her need. 1 Kings 17 The widow’s feeling are completely valid, she has nothing. 1 Kings 17 In this moment, God uses Elijah for a lesson on faith to show the widow that He is in control of the flow. Elijah tells the widow that the jar of flour and jug of oil will not run dry until the Lord sends rain on the land. 1 Kings 17 The widow experiences a miraculous provision of food after following Elijah's instructions and trusting in God. This serves as a reminder of God's power and His ability to provide for us in times of need. However, it is important to note that faith is not a feeling, but rather an act of obedience. The widow may not have felt like God was in control, but she believed it and acted on that belief. This story shows us that when we trust and obey God, He will provide for us and help us through difficult times. Faith is not about how we feel, but about our willingness to follow God's lead. 1 Kings 17 The story also shows us the principle of putting God first in our lives. It is easy to say that we trust in God and believe that He is in control, but when I do everything, it becomes easy to forget. If I have no rhythm and no reminder, I’ll end up in charge. By incorporating disciplines and practices that remind us of God's control and provision, such as starting our day in devotion, tithing, and prioritizing prayer and worship, we can trust that God will take care of us and provide for us in all circumstances. This is especially important when it comes to areas of our lives where we may feel lacking, such as time and money. By putting God first, we can trust that He will guide us and provide for us in all things. Malachi 3 This is the only time in the Bible that God explicitly tells us to test Him in this way. By doing so, He is showing us that He is in control of the flow. So test God, because You won't run dry. Thank you for being here! If this message resonates with you and you want to see more, here’s our YouTube channel where we post live sermons every Sunday.
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