Some people confuse a physical feeling with the presence of God. If the music is just right, and the light is just so, and the meal is repeating, then God must be present. But the reality is, feelings lie, feelings change. Feelings are a source of information, just like sight, sound, smell, taste and touch. They add something to the mix, but they can’t be the only source of information if we are making decisions.
Do an experiment for me. Think about one of the happiest moments of your life in recent years and notice the feeling in your body change. (Stop and do it!) Now think about a very difficult moment in your life and notice the feeling in your body. (Stop!) Did you notice that the feeling changed based on what you thought. Nothing else changed in those few moments other than what you were thinking. Feelings shouldn’t drive a train. They change tracks too frequently.
We have all had mountain top spiritual experiences, but that doesn’t mean that the LORD is absent in the valleys and on the plains. The feeling we get when the LORD is working in our lives is not something to be sought after as an end in itself. The feeling is a byproduct of God’s presence, not a substitute or an add-on.
And yet, some churches make the feeling the most important part, or at least it seems that way. Everything is orchestrated to get people to their feet and raising their hands, shouting or weeping. But the feeling isn’t worship. I don’t mean to say that their motives in worship are impure. I don’t know their motives. But if their success point is an emotion rather than an encounter with Almighty God, then they need to change their success point. Emotions are no substitute.
The problem with equating a feeling we get when we are in God’s presence with the Holy Spirit’s work is that we demean the person of the Holy Spirit. Instead of being co-equal with the father and the Son, we make Him just a feeling. We can’t be honoring to Him when we demand that a physical feeling be the primary reference point for His presence. He wants His presence acknowledged even when the feeling isn’t present.
The problem with feelings is that they get old. We want more and more thrilling experiences as time progresses. And if the feeling isn’t there, then we feel like something was missing. So our feelings end up driving our actions, rather than obedience to His revealed will shaping and molding our feelings and choices. We put the cart before the horse. Feelings are supposed to follow actions not the other way around.
The Arnold Journey 