Good Feelings Not Required to Obey

When Imelda and I would ask our children Christine and Paul to do chores in the house, they often do not feel like doing them. They often refuse and try to find ways to avoid them! I sometimes fall into the same trap. I thought good feelings must precede my doing work. This lack of good feelings is at times a cause for me not to obey what God is saying to my heart to do. Hear what Jesus has to say about feelings and emotions in connection to doing. He said, "If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them" (John 13:17). It's all backwards or opposite here now! When Jesus uttered those words, He just finished washing the disciples' feet. And the word "blessed" He used means "happy" in the original Bible language. Jesus points out that happiness or good feelings come by doing service, whether you feel like it or not. Good feelings are not required to obey and do service. The good feelings follow good works. If you're a Christian, God chooses you for good works. The service comes and then the emotional frame. "....you are happy if you do them!"

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