How is Your Heart is a short question that I have used to open up a conversation about the deep waters of the heart. The first few times you ask this, it may cause confusion. It is purposely vague and open ended. Asking this is meant to cause us to reflect on the past days and weeks events. How are they affecting you? How are you feeling? What are you excited about? What are you anxious about? How is God present in your life? What sin struggles are you dealing with? And many more questions that could be asked.
Scripture predominantly speaks of the heart as the core of who we are. It is out of our heart that the month speaks (Luke 6:45). Our emotions, thoughts, beliefs, and reasons for our actions flow out of our hearts. Our hearts are like deep water and it takes work to draw it out (Proverbs 20:5). Answering the question, how is your heart will take practice. A valid answer is, I don’t know. Even though this is a valid answer, it is an incomplete one. If we don’t know how we feel, what are things that we do know. How are you acting (behaviors, decisions, observations)? What are you not feeling or believing (I don’t feel sad, I don’t believe you meant to hurt me, I did not do what I should have done). Pray for discernment and understanding into why you do what you do. When you learn something new about your heart, go back to the person who asked you the question and let them know what God has revealed.
How is your heart is meant to cause deep reflection into the inner workings of your heart and what is behind your thoughts, actions and beliefs. The bible has much to say about our hearts. Whereas, the Old Testament used the primary term of idols, the New Testament uses desires, lusts, passions to refer to this same concept. John Calvin said that our hearts are like idol factories. We tend to serve what we desire most (or fear the most). If I desire comfort, then anything that demands my attention or energy will seem like a attack against my idol of comfort and be met with a negative response. These negative responses are windows into the heart and help reveal what is controlling us. Look deeper into the heart and see what is motivating your actions and beliefs.
Questions to further and deepen the conversation:
- What is God doing in heart in this season?
- How can I help you or be there for you in this season?
- How can I pray for you in this season?