Knowing with Your Heart

Today a person mentioned the struggle that people sometimes have of knowing something with their mind but not with their heart, and the question of how to connect the two. They understand it, but they don't feel it, and really want to know how to feel it too.

One example is God's love for his children. A person can understand that but not feel it (for instance, they are too hard on themself and have a hard time feeling God isn't too). Another example is giving: a person can see that God desires us to give and giving helps us, but when it comes to giving up extra discretionary money, it feels hard to do.

Life is complex and there are many factors that contribute to knowing with the heart. Of course our God is sovereign and blesses us with knowing things with our heart. Sometimes we don't know when we started to know things with our heart—it was a beautiful gift from God. Other times we pray for it. Sometimes we work or think hard for it too. (And the end result is still all a gift from God.)

So, if you know something with your mind, and want your heart to really understand and know it too, I'd recommend the following:

1. Pray for it. God loves when we ask for something like this—something that he wants us to truly know and feel.

2. Read and think about it. Of course, be sure to read the Bible and listen to people you trust have good theology. They can help you learn more about what you want to know in your heart. The more you know about something, the more you can like it. Many things have many facets to them. Thinking about it allows you to take it all in.

3. Be patient. It takes time. We are growing in knowledge throughout life. It's a part of life, and we can celebrate at each step we take in growing.