When Hillsong NYC Pastor Carl Lentz's son, Roman, honestly confronted his father about not wanting to attend church, the father-of-three used the opportunity to teach his young son a valuable life lesson.
Lentz revealed on his Instagram account, "My son recently told me 'Dad, I don't feel like going to church. We are there ALL THE TIME."
The pastor explained that his son's comments were sincere, and so he decided to offer some valuable advice - which could be useful for many adults as well!
"I was able to tell him what apparently many of us adults still need to hear: 'feelings are great. They are important. But they are not the dominant factor in how we live our lives! If our feelings match our convictions? Fantastic. I've just found that it's often that is the exception, not the norm," he said.
Lentz explained that many of the most incredible things God asks His followers to do, do not produce a "good vibe". He went on to reference what Jesus says to do in the Bible: "Loving your enemy does not always feel good. Sacrificial giving does not always feel good. Forgiving people who hurt you almost NEVER feels right."
The father told his son: "Going to church doesn't always feel good! But these things are still RIGHT. When that day comes, when your feelings rage against your conviction, remember how blessed we are to control our feelings, rather than being controlled by them. It's worth it every time!"
Lentz later explained that his 9-year-old asked if he could greet the congregation during the Sunday service. The pastor said of his son: "He said, 'Dad I didn't really feel like it, but I'm glad I did, I think I helped people'."
Hillsong NYC Church is a branch of the Australian Hillsong Church, which was founded by Brian Houston and his wife, Bobbie, in 1983. The New York branch often attracts many A-list celebrities including Justin Bieber, Hailey Bieber, NBA star Kevin Durant, as well as singer Selena Gomez, to name but a few.
