Connect Are there any unhealthy patterns of thinking (or things that occupy unhealthy proportions of your thinking) that could be reshaped more in the likeness of the mind of Christ? Try reshaping this thinking habit.‍

Warm-Up

1. Would you say that you’re more a ‘thinker’ or a ‘feeler’? How do people process emotion differently?
2. Do you ever struggle with emotion—either too quickly responding and/or being unmoved?

Read Psalm 42

3. What do you like most about having emotions and experiencing other people’s emotions?
4. How do you think ‘emotions’ are different from ‘thoughts’?
5. How can emotions help us make sense of ourselves and the world? Do they help others make sense of us?
6. In what ways are we affected by other people’s emotions? Do you find this challenging in particular settings or in specific circumstances? What are the good ways that your emotions affect other people?
7. Hemingway said that, “what is moral is what you feel good after, and what is immoral is what you feel bad after.” Do you think our emotions can always be trusted? How can we test our emotions?
8. How honestly do you think the Psalmist is crying out to God? Is this appropriate? Have you tried this?
9. How comfortable do you feel in crying out to God in an “unfiltered” way? Should we?
10. In what way does going to God give the psalmist both comfort and a corrective shape to his cries?
11. In what way do our emotions find a ‘fulfilment’ when we go to God with them? How can our emotions find both comfort and correction when we go to God? (Do you have an example of this?)
12. When do you think is the best time to go to God with our feelings? What could help nurture this?
13. Have you ever felt emotionally exhausted? What are the symptoms? What are the effects?
14. How can going to God be a great source of ‘emotional rest’? How have you experienced this in your life?

Read Matthew 9:35-38

14. What emotions do we witness in Jesus throughout the Gospels? What was the pattern of how he engaged?
15. What emotion does Jesus feel in this passage? What does it mean that he felt ‘compassion’?
16. What stops you feeling the needs of those around you? What could help you without being overwhelmed?
17. How might you respond like Jesus—as he saw, felt, and acted?

Apply On one of your frontlines this week, look out for an opportunity to see—feel–act (asking for God’s help).

On Your Front Line this Week

What opportunities do you have this week to demonstrate kindness? Pray for opportunities to show God's kindness.

For Families

• Download: some of the family resources to use at home: stbartskids.org

Listen, Watch, and Read

• Listen: “Emotions” by John Stott
• Listen: “Psalm 42:1-43:5” by William Taylor
• Watch: “Does God Care About ALL of Our Emotions” by N T Wright
• Read: “The Cost of Compassion” by Tim Costello
• Read: “Untangling Emotions” by Groves & Smith
• Watch: “The Character of God Series” by the Bible Project

Series Resources

• Read: “You’re Only Human” by Kelly Kapic (also available in the library)
• Read: “Between the Tick and the Tock” by Michael Jensen 
• Read: “Becoming Friends of Time” by John Swinton (also available in the library)
• Listen: “Whole” Series by St Barnabas on Broadway
• Listen: “Being Human” by Redeemer
• Watch: “Being a Body: With Sam Allberry” by Single Minded Conference