Revelation through feelings, not just facts

Revelation through feelings, not just facts
S - Mark 8:17 (NASB)
And Jesus, aware of this, said to them, "Why do you discuss the fact that you have no bread? Do you not yet see or understand? Do you have a hardened heart?

O - I think the Lord is speaking a Truth to his disciples that resonates with me today, that we are not simply to discuss the facts of a situation, but we are to trust our heart, knowing our feelings and experiences of who Jesus has been in our lives, we are to live differently. As man, we may have grown accustomed to ignoring a critical part of God's design of our lives, our emotions and feelings. I am not exactly sure why that is, I suspect because facts are "sensible and observable" and feelings, much like God or the spiritual part of our lives come from a different place. Here in this verse we see the disciples examining the facts, when in fact Jesus is saying, tap into your feelings, who is with you, what is possible, trust what your feelings are indicating and at the very least don't ignore your feelings (or harden your heart).

A - The application for me is exemplified by what I have been learning about the power of listening for people's feelings and examining my own feelings. The importance of feelings in discovery of what God is doing, and what is happening inside of us is the principle I want to drive home for myself. Here are two principles to help with that:

1. Daily review my own feelings - I am to examine what my feelings are telling me, and allow God's spirit to reveal His truth in each situation. Regardless of whether the feelings are true, the Holy Spirit will ultimately use the revelation of that feeling, and insert truth where it is needed.

2. When listening, seek to understand others feelings, and not the facts of their situations. While facts are important in the law cases, feelings are more important in relationships. In relationships, facts don't always come out directly, by listening for feelings, and examining them with thoughtful reflection of feelings back, and thoughtful questions, we can and will grow deeper in relationship.

P - Dear heavenly Father, thank you for today's lesson, may it be sealed to my heart. Lord I pray that you continue to equip me in being an empathetic listener to others, and sensitive to the spirit's revelation in me of my and others feelings, and what truth is being revealed through this discovery process. I pray all this in Jesus name, Amen.