Fact. Faith. Feeling. What’s Drivin’ Your Train?

Fact. Faith. Feeling.

What’s drivin’ your train?

Let’s face it, feelings are fickle. On any given day, we can be up or we can be down. While our feelings are real, they are not always right. And if we allow those real, but sometimes wrong, feelings to rule our wayward hearts and fuel our forward motion, we may very well be headed for derailment!

That’s why I love this illustration I learned in college when I was involved with Cru. A train has an engine, freight cars, and a caboose. The engine, the one driving the train, must be fueled by FACT. As a Christian, a follower of Christ, who holds fast to a Biblical Worldview, FACT (Absolute and Objective Truth) comes from the Word of God. Period. There is no other substitute for truth.

That fact must be followed by FAITH (the freight cars), close behind the engine (FACT), Our faith must be pulled and drawn by the Word of God. There must be something to have “faith in” before faith can by attached to and led by that fact.

And finally, FEELINGS. Ah, those fickle FEELINGS. Sometimes I wish we could simply uncouple them and leave them in the train yard, but remember, they’re real...and as long as they are in their proper place, behind the FACT of God’s Word that drives the train and our FAITH in that truth that allows it to reign, then those FEELINGS can remain. As the caboose. The end. They are just along for the ride.

We must have a high view of God and a humble view of ourselves by believing what His Word says about His holy, righteous, and unchanging character as it relates to our sinful, fickle, and forever changing nature. When we do, we can let Him lead us, and that frees us to simply follow, without fear because He will never fail us or derail us.

He says He loves us with an everlasting love (Jeremiah 31:3). He says He has a plan for us. (Jeremiah 29:11). He says He will never leave us (Hebrews 13:5). He says we are more than conquerors IN HIM (Romans 8:37).

But WITHOUT HIM, our hearts are deceitful (Jeremiah 17:9), our own understanding will lead us astray (Proverbs 3:5), our way seems right, but ends in death (Proverbs 14:2)

That’s why we must trust Him to lead. He makes our paths straight (Proverbs 3:6). His way is the only way that leads to life everlasting (John 14:6). And He is patiently waiting for more to get on board...

“The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” ~ 2 Peter 3:9

Trust these words straight from His Word over the words of the world today. Put those feelings in their place...behind the truth of God’s Word and your trust in that Truth. It never changes, will keep you on track, and will always get you where you need to go right on time.