Principles, Feelings, and Endurance

Without guiding objective moral principles, the secular world judges its self-help endeavors by what works, what gives us the desired benefits, especially those benefits which enable us to feel good about ourselves.

 

Fortunately, they often lead us into virtuous behavior. It makes us feel good to help others. However, the pay-off for virtuous behavior is like the delight we receive when we smell a rose. It is short lived! Likewise, it is like continually listening to our favorite piece of music. We experience a declining sense of satisfaction as we repeatedly perform any act that pleasures us. This is just the way we are constituted.

This reminded me of one thoughtful young man who shared his perplexity with a group of seekers. Initially, he had derived great joy from giving to a certain foundation. However, over time, his joy diminished, and he wondered whether he should find another NGO more worthy of his offering.

However, the joy of giving is like the joy of smelling a rose. These will not continue to give us the same delight. This is why many verses warn us that we have to persevere in giving:

·       And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone… (Galatians 6:9-10)

Doing good can grow wearisome in the same way that repeatedly listening to our favorite piece of music begins to lose its impact and leaves us with the impression that, “There must be something more!”

What lesson can we draw from this. If our behaviors are strictly governed by their immediate benefits, our lives will be unstable. They will lack commitment and staying power. We will be easily blown about by every new self-help therapy and philosophy.

 

Instead, our lives must rest upon a solid foundation of moral certainty, consisting of more than our changing feelings.  Living by feelings and their benefits alone also play havoc with our relationships. They fail to give us the fortitude and endurance that God-given moral truths can offer us.

This brings us back to the fact that the delight we derive from roses and sunsets do not last for long. Why not? Our God designed us in a way so that we will not worship the fading glory of His creation, however glorious it is. Instead, they serve as pointers to the bedrock reality of the Creator Himself, whom we should adore above His creation.