Emotional Acuity

By Robert

Sharp Emotional Awareness

Cyndi and I have been attending an intense circuit training class. I have sore muscles in places I didn’t even know existed. Through this I am developing kinesthetic awareness quite well–all I have to do is notice where the soreness is.

Not only did God make us with kinesthetic awareness, but He also made us to have deep emotional awareness. Emotional awareness is the missing key in so many people’s lives. So many times it’s that missing piece that often never quite gets defined, yet without it you can’t move forward.

Misunderstanding Obedience to God

Jesus says if you obey His words, you build “your house” on the rock and not the sand (Matt.7:24-27).
Much of the church focuses on obedience to God and the consequences of disobedience, or on God’s covering grace. All of these can fall short of God’s best. Obedience is so misunderstood. It is not a result of being convinced enough or trying hard enough or being desperate enough. It is not a continual falling short but knowing God’s grace is enough. Obedience comes from maturity. A six-month old baby is not obedient at all. However, much more is expected of a teenager. Even then, if a relationship has not been cultivated that is based in respect and trust, obedience falls apart. Therefore, obedience to God, is all about emotional health.

Emotional Health is Foundational

One way to view “your house” in this passage, is as a representation of emotional health. When our emotional house is built on sand and any setbacks or contrary circumstances come, we crumble. Emotional health is vital. It determines whether we relate to God, ourselves, and others in a healthy, life-giving way. Consider these examples:

There are some people that buck at even the mildest suggestion of correction. To them it feels shameful to be wrong or have a fault of any kind, so they never learn or grow.

Also, there are people that allow others to completely run over them, usually not even realizing it happened until later.

Many people struggle with depression or lack of motivation and don’t know why. They have not been able to identify their disappointment, fear, or why they feel hopeless. It is hard to fix something when you can’t see what’s broken. ??These are just a few examples of how we can lack emotional awareness. When I know what I feel and can process those feelings appropriately, I am rooted and grounded. I know who I am, I can flow with the give and take of relationships, and I can walk in godly obedience.