Some of the best advice I received in college was from my speech and debate coach. “Fake it till you make it.” If we didn’t know anything about a debate or if we forgot parts of our speech, she told us to put a confident smile on our face and just keep talking until we either remembered what we were supposed to say or our time ran out. She wasn’t promoting us being fake or lying, but rather persevering in things we didn’t or couldn’t do until we did or could do it. I use this advice alot in dealing with people at work. I work with alot of high school/young college students whose drama and immaturity drive me nuts. But I stick a smile on my face anyways and get along with them as best I can, and in the process usually discover that they are pretty cool people after all. I fake liking them until I actually do.

Last Sunday the pastor gave me a new way of looking at my coach’s pearls of wisdom. He encouraged us to “faith it till you feel it.” He was talking specifically about worship and the fact that we are to worship out of obediance, not out of our feelings. We may not always feel thankful, or joyful or full of love but still we should give thanks, worship in joy and show love towards God and our fellow human beings. If we step out in faith and obedience, the feelings will follow.  Beware, though. The feelings don’t always follow as quickly as we would like. It often takes days, weeks, months even years of faithing until we get the feelings to back it up.

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