Held in the Waiting: A 33-Day Devotional
Trusting God’s Heart When Healing Is Delayed and Strength Feels Thin
Day 2 — Faith Beyond Feelings
Theme: Trusting God When Emotions Fluctuate
Scripture (Douay-Rheims Bible)
2 Corinthians 5:6–8
“Therefore having always confidence, knowing that, while we are in the body, we are absent from the Lord.
(For we walk by faith, and not by sight.)
But we are confident, and have a good will to be absent rather from the body, and to be present with the Lord.”
Meditation
Daniel used to measure his faith by how he felt.
On good days—when pain was manageable and energy was steady—he felt strong, spiritual, hopeful. He would read Scripture easily, pray with clarity, and speak confidently about trusting God.
But on flare-up days, when exhaustion pressed into his bones and discouragement whispered relentlessly, he questioned everything. If my faith were stronger, wouldn’t I feel better? he wondered.
One evening, too tired even to pray properly, he simply whispered, “Lord, I’m still here.”
There were no dramatic emotions. No overwhelming sense of peace. Just a quiet, stubborn clinging.
Later, reading Paul’s words—“For we walk by faith, and not by sight”—Daniel realized something life-changing: faith is not proven by feelings. It is proven by staying.
By staying in prayer when emotions fade.
By staying in hope when tears fall.
By staying in trust when the heart feels numb.
That night, Daniel stopped evaluating his faith by emotional intensity. Instead, he began measuring it by endurance.
And endurance, he discovered, is holy.
Reflection
Chronic illness creates emotional unpredictability as much as physical instability. Some days you may feel peaceful and strong. Other days anxiety, sadness, or spiritual dryness may sweep in without warning.
It is easy to assume that strong faith should feel strong all the time. But Scripture gently corrects that misconception.
We walk by faith, and not by sight.
Sight includes what we see—and what we feel. It includes the emotional landscape of our present moment. But faith operates at a deeper level than emotion. It rests not on how God feels to us, but on who God is.
When pain lingers, feelings can shift dramatically:
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Hope may turn into frustration.
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Peace may give way to fear.
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Gratitude may be overshadowed by grief.
None of this disqualifies you from being faithful.
In fact, choosing trust when you feel spiritually dry is one of the purest forms of faith. It is easy to believe when consolation surrounds you. It is sacred to believe when consolation is absent.
Paul writes with profound confidence—not because his circumstances were easy (they were not), but because his anchor was eternal. He understood that earthly experiences, including suffering, do not define ultimate reality. His faith extended beyond immediate sensation.
When your heart feels heavy, remember:
Faith is not an emotional high.
It is a steady orientation toward God.
You may not always feel hopeful—but you can choose hope.
You may not always feel brave—but you can choose trust.
You may not always feel close to God—but He remains close to you.
Even numbness can be offered as prayer.
If today your faith feels fragile, take comfort: God honors persistence more than passion. He treasures the quiet soul that refuses to walk away.
And sometimes the most powerful declaration of faith is simply this:
“I am still here, Lord. I still believe.”
Prayer
Lord of Steady Light,
You see the fluctuations within me—the emotional highs and the valleys of discouragement. You know how quickly hope can rise and how suddenly fear can follow. You understand the exhaustion that sometimes clouds my spiritual vision.
Forgive me for believing that my feelings determine Your faithfulness. Forgive me for assuming that emotional dryness means spiritual failure.
Teach me to walk by faith, not by sight. When I cannot feel Your presence, remind me that You have not moved. When my heart feels numb, hold me steady. When doubt whispers, anchor me in truth.
Give me confidence not in my emotions, but in Your unchanging character. You are constant when my body is not. You are faithful when my strength falters. You are near when my spirit feels distant.
Help me to stay.
Stay in prayer.
Stay in hope.
Stay in trust.
Even if my voice trembles, let it continue to call Your name.
I surrender my need to feel strong. Let quiet endurance be enough. Let simple trust be enough. Let my continued turning toward You be enough.
You are my constant, Lord—yesterday, today, and forever.
Amen.
