“Importantly, the affection of zeal, in contrast to the passion of zeal, is not known by excitement, or even by a feeling, but is only truly known by how it perseveres. . . . True affection is a deep and abiding disposition of the soul that permeates the whole of a person and gives shape to everything else. We cannot judge an affection by how it feels at any given moment, in other words, but only by the shape of a person’s life.”- Kyle Strobel and John Coe
Kyle Strobel and John Coe continue Chapter 4 of When God Seems Distant as they talk about persevering love. Above all, the authors describe affections as deeper and more profound desires in the Christian life. Hence, affections:
- are abiding moments of the heart.
- lead someone into being more unified as a whole person.
- flow out of the center of a person and integrate one’s thoughts, desires, longings, and hopes.
- reveal the overarching direction of one’s life.
Certainly, Kyle and John acknowledge, it’s not wrong for our affections to awaken our passions. One assumes that. But while affections awaken and temper our passions, the passions seek to overrun and govern the affections.
However, in our current cultural climate, people tend to believe that only passionate love exists. In addition, the author’s note, this fact always rings true in the flesh. That we find it easier to try to cultivate passion than affection. And in a similar manner, it’s much easier create churches that stoke the fires of passion. Than to find churches that awaken and foster affection.
Therefore, as Kyle and John explain and sum up:
“It is easier to keep things burning hot and fast than to settle into the deep and abiding affection of the Lord that perseveres. It is easy to assume that childish things are actually better than walking in paths of maturity that require a deeper sort of abiding.”
Today’s question: What Scriptures foster a true affection that’s deep and abiding? Please share.
Tomorrow’s blog: A causal spirituality”
Philippians 4:7