DEVELOP YOUR HEART

Have you thanked Him?

Have you praised Him?

Have you made it your priority to agree and cooperate with Him today?

Have you taken that deep breath and listened for what He has for you today?

1 Timothy 2:1 (The Message)

The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know.

If we could look into each other’s hearts and understand the unique challenges each of us faces, I think we would treat each other much more gently, with more love, patience, tolerance, and care.

Marvin J. Ashton

Help each other in troubles and problems. 

This is the kind of law Christ asks us to obey. Galatians 6:2 (NLV)

I posted this a couple of days back as my daily FACEBOOK encouragement.  Thought I would parse it a bit further today in lieu of a great conversation I had with a friend and colleague regarding our ever-evolving recovery space.

I really like what ASHTON encourages in that quote.

That if we could pause AND LISTEN long enough and I mean listen, not in preparation to respond but listen TO UNDERSTAND our brothers and sisters, I too believe we would be in a better position to help when help was needed, to demonstrate patience when patience was needed and better care for those we wish to help.

And as I was talking with my friend last night at a brand new education center dedication, (https://preventionactionalliance.org/matts-story/),

we were having a “debate” as to the “real” reason we are in this crisis of drug addiction as community, a state, and a country. 

I surmise that we are ALL broken in one way or another and that for many, SUBSTANCES, provide relief, albeit temporary and with consequences.  And I say that as one who TRIED that route to deal with my challenges.  It was only after I stopped trying to drown my broken heart and mind in a gallon of wine and vodka each day that I was able to see that.

But what helped me apart from the medical intervention I desperately needed, were EMPATHETIC listeners.  Folks who hadn’t already surmised HOW to fix me, but those who were willing to listen, understand, care, and then POINT me to possible pathways to peace, clarity, and healing.

To be honest, my friend is not a "big" fan of my position leaning more heavily that addiction is a brain disease and brokenness is just too “RELIGIOUS” for his sensibilities.

Yet after a pretty robust back and forth I think we came to a place where we agreed that this challenge is BOTH; both a disease that at its core, influenced and fueled by brokenness.  And that has always been my position.

But regardless of how each of us was “defining” the challenge or “how we got here”, we BOTH agreed that our only WAY OUT of it was via HELPING each other; one hand reaching out in love to the hand of another to help!

Holmes even remarked, “There is no exercise better for the heart than reaching down and lifting people up.”

Yet it is HOW we help that is vastly important!

Far too often we don’t want to do as ASHTON suggests and UNDERSTAND what is ailing our brother or sister before offering our “FIX” to their ills.  We often lean on the formulaic rather than taking the time to UNDERSTAND the challenge from the one suffering’s perspective; in other words, we are quick to try a fix before we really understand the facts and the feelings.  For some of my church folks often just want to just slap them across the forehead with a King James Bible hoping that will help rather than sitting down, listening, and sharing what it is in that Bible WITH them!

Friends, the Apostle Paul encouraged the Galatians and us to HELP EACH other with our problems and challenges.  Yet, to do that effectively, I believe it requires us to exercise a little more empathy before exercising advice.

The Bible even says for us to:

Try to UNDERSTAND each other.

Love each other like brothers and sisters. Be kind and humble.

– 1 Peter 3:8 (ERV)

The primary point today is this, develop your heart to help others. And that starts first with listening, understanding, and loving before fixing!

God’s servant must not be argumentative, but a gentle listener and a teacher who keeps cool, working firmly but patiently…

2 Timothy 2:23 (MSG)

I love you all!

HAVE A BLESSED DAY!

OPPORTUNITIES for HOPE