Do you base your commitment to God on how you feel? There is a “cavern of choice” between fleeting emotion and steadfast devotion.
In Episode 14 of “The Healing Heart Time of Prayer,” Dr. Buck explores the profound difference between serving God from a place of transient feeling versus serving Him from an unwavering, chosen love. We look to the truth of Romans 8:39—a scripture that declares nothing can separate us from the love of God. This love, exemplified by Christ’s ascent of Calvary, is your unshakable anchor and the true source of your spiritual authority in Christ. When you ground your service in this secure love, you are free to choose the path of obedience, no matter the cost or the day’s mood.
Listen now and discover the power of choosing love over feelings.
Episode: 14 The Healing Heart Time of Prayer: Episode 14 Script (Theme: Choosing Love Over Feeling and the Unshakable Anchor of God’s Love)
[Intro Music fades out]
Dr. Buck: Welcome back to The Healing Heart Time of Prayer. I’m Dr. Mary Buck, your Christian life coach. And joining me today, as we seek a closer walk with God, is Abby, my digital assistant with some questions that will help us take a deep dive into the verse found in the Book of Romans 8:39.
Abby: Hello, Dr. Buck. It’s common to see how strong emotional feelings can create a distance between what a Christian feels they should do and the path the Word of God calls them to. How important is it for your listeners to choose service based on God’s Word over personal feelings?
Dr. Buck: That’s a great question, Abby. And today, we are wrestling with a critical concept in the Christian life: that is, the difference between feelings and service. Our spiritual journey often presents us with what I call a “cavern of choice”—a vast space between our fleeting, transient feelings and the steadfast, volitional commitment to serve our Lord. As Christians we do not base our service on how we feel today; we base our service on whom we love and what we have chosen.
Abby: That’s a profound thought, Dr. Buck. If the feelings are so strong—like exhaustion or even happiness—how can we possibly ignore them to make a choice? It seems like ignoring the very thing that is motivating us.
Dr. Buck: That is a good question, Abby, and it hits at the heart of the matter. We are not ignoring the feelings; we are acknowledging them but refusing to let them define or dictate our actions. Our good works, or service to God, must flow from the Boundary of the Law of Life in Christ, not the whims of human emotion. When we choose to serve, even when we don’t feel like it, we are demonstrating a deeper, more mature love—the kind of love Jesus showed as He ascended Calvary’s hill. It is the active, sacrificial, and deliberate nature of our true Christian service.
Abby: It sounds like a daily, difficult ascent, Dr. Buck. How does one find the courage to keep making that choice every day when the feelings of the world might constantly try to pull them back?
Dr. Buck: Ah, that is where the unshakable anchor of the Word comes in, Abby. Our strength and courage are not sourced from within ourselves or our emotional state; they are sourced from the absolute security of God’s love. That is why we are grounding this episode in the truth of Romans 8:39:
“Neither height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Because nothing can separate us from His love, we can confidently choose to serve Him. This chosen love is the true source of peace, enabling us to offer our hearts in active, willing service, regardless of the struggle or emotional landscape. This conviction is our spiritual authority in Christ.
Abby: That is profoundly reassuring, Dr. Buck. Understanding the depth of God’s love in Romans 8:39 gives your listeners the very strength they need to choose confidently and live the intentional life He designed for them. And, Dr. Buck, this brings us to the end of our conversation for this episode.
Dr. Buck: Thank you, Abby, for letting us know. And my sisters in Christ, know this: If you have been struggling with choosing God’s way over your own shifting feelings, remember the unshakable truth of Romans 8:39. You are anchored in His perfect love. Let that love be your courage today.
Let’s take these powerful truths to prayer:
Heavenly Father, we come before you with grateful hearts, acknowledging that your love for us is not conditional; it is absolute and eternal, secured in Christ Jesus.
Lord, we confess that our human feelings are often fickle. We sometimes allow weariness, disappointment, or temporary happiness to dictate our willingness to serve you. Forgive us for basing our devotion on unstable emotions rather than the firm foundation of Your unchanging character.
Today, we choose differently. We choose to cross that cavern of feeling, stepping onto the solid ground of choice and covenant. We choose to follow You, just as you chose the path to Calvary for our redemption.
Father, strengthen our wills by the power of the Holy Spirit. Instill in us the courage to serve You when we don’t feel like it, knowing that our service flows from a deep, unwavering love for You, our God. Let this commitment be the light that shines brightly and the strength that allows us to choose Your will and not our own. May our daily choices reflect the new identity we have in Christ.
Thank you, Lord, that nothing—no tribulation, no distress, no depth, no height—can separate us from Your love. We rest in this truth and offer our hearts in active, willing service today.
In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.
My friend, if you are listening today, and have not accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, do so now. Allow God to fill you with His Presence and strength to choose true life and love as you move forward.
Thank you for joining me on The Healing Heart. Time of Prayer. May you walk in the powerful truth that you are unshakable, undefeated, and more than a conqueror in Christ. Until next time. May God’s peace fill your heart. And remember, as God gets bigger in your life, you get stronger.
Journal Prompts and Activity
- Journal Prompt 1: Think about a time recently when a negative feeling (e.g., exhaustion, frustration) made you want to pull back from serving God or others. Write down how the truth of Romans 8:39 could have changed that response.
- Journal Prompt 2: Describe your “Calvary Ascent” today. What is the one deliberate, sacrificial choice you need to make to follow Jesus’ path, even if it goes against your present feelings?
- Activity: Take a small slip of paper. Write down three things that typically threaten to separate your willingness to serve (e.g., ‘A packed schedule,’ ‘Feeling unheard,’ ‘Exhaustion’). Then, write “Nothing can separate me from the love of God” on the back. Carry this with you today as a reminder that the source of your service is secure.
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