In Hebrews 11:1 we are told that “faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” Then after giving us a wonderful definition of faith, the author of Hebrews goes on to give us a list of men and women who were commended for their faith in remainder of the chapter. These people where simply men and women who took God at His word and obeyed His command.

For example, we are told that God asked Noah to build an ark because He was going to bring a massive flood. Noah took God at His word and built the ark ^(v5). God told Abraham to go out to a place that he would receive as an inheritance. Abraham took God at His word, left his familiar surroundings, and he went ^(v.6). God indicated to Sarah, who was long past the age of childbearing, that she would conceive a son. The Scripture states: “She considered Him faithful who had promised.” She took God at His word. Regardless of circumstances, despite arguments of logic and reason, and regardless of how he or she felt, each person mentioned in Hebrews 11 believed God and His word and chose to be obedient despite of their feelings.

Feelings are neither right or wrong, but as Christian’s we do not depend upon feelings or emotions, but we place our faith (trust) in fact — the trustworthiness of God and the promises of His Word. You see feelings are valid, but not always trustworthy. However, God’s Word is. Therefore, God’s Word is:

• truer than anything I feel
• truer than anything I experience
• truer than any circumstance I will ever face
• truer than anything in the world

Why? Because heaven and earth will pass away, but God’s Word will not. This means that no matter how I feel or what I experience, I can choose to depend on the truth of God’s Word and his faithful promises. You see, you and I can either grow accustomed to listening to our feelings, thoughts, and circumstances, letting them control us, or we can be in the habit of taking God at His word despite our feelings and life experiences. We need to choose with our wills to believe that His Word is truer than our feelings.

The promise of God’s Word, not our feelings, is our final authority. Therefore the Christian needs to live by faith (trust) in the trustworthiness of God Himself and His Word.