Heart represents those things we like to do, the things no one has to ask us twice about. It's those things that make our heart speed up, those things we feel compelled to act on. Have you ever noticed there are some things around your work place that are not really your responsibility, but you like to do them? When a need arises in that area, do people come to you? That's how it is for Bob Johnson with computers. He says, “Helping other people solve their computer problems is not in my job description. But I like to do it. The pitfall for me to avoid in responding to my heart is to make sure I don't pay too much attention to it!”
Heart represents those things that give us emotional energy. A friend of ours told of being asked as a young man trying to decide what to do with his life, “Imagine that you have $10,000,000 in the bank and you just got back from a trip around the world. Now that you don’t have to worry about money or see the world, what are you going to do when you get up every day?” To know the answer to that question is to know your heart.
Heart is God-given desire that leads us to make a difference in regard to a particular need. It is sometimes referred to with terms like “burden,” “vision,” or even “call.” Heart is like a beach ball. Although you can push it underwater, hiding it for a time, it keeps popping back to the surface because it is a part of our essence, of who we are. Despite resistance, it keeps resurfacing in our lives again and again and again. The prophet Jeremiah said God’s “word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones.” (Jeremiah 20:9)
In regard to S.H.A.P.E., there is an important truth about operating in the areas of our heart. When we are ministering in the area of our heart, we not only bring fruitfulness to the Kingdom of God, but we also experience fulfillment. Imagine working for God by serving others and enjoying it!
We are interested in helping others in those experiences of life that we ourselves have been through. Some people are intimidated by the word “passion.” They view passion as a “burning desire,” sort of like a fiery John the Baptist preaching in the wilderness while eating honey and locusts. (Ever seen wild honey and locusts served at a covered dish dinner?) But heart is not always such a visible, burning desire. If you’ll explore your experience, if you’ll honestly name before God those things that interest you, you just may discover your “passions.” Bob illustrates with this example: “My wife Susan, when going though a S.H.A.P.E. discovery workshop, discovered her heart was with older people. Her heart became clear as she thought about her former job in a nursing home and her ability to relate to older people. Though she might not label it a ‘passion’ of hers, she nevertheless did discover serving older people was dear to her heart.”
A caution is in order here. We sincerely believe that God wants us to be fulfilled in our ministries of service. But we don’t always know best, particularly when we start out. Take Jonah for example. We cannot say that going to Ninevah was in his heart! In fact, he turned tail and ran the other way. We know many Christians who responded grudgingly to a call from God only to discover that serving in that particular ministry was their passion. Bob tells this story to illustrate: “The first time I taught publicly was for a United Methodist Women’s District Missions School. At that time I did not know what I now know - that teaching is a passion of mine. I accepted the invitation reluctantly. But God surprised me. God showed me something about me that I didn’t know at that time.” And that is our point. It is helpful to know our heart. But we still need to remain open to God’s surprises. God will still surprise us from time to time.
Another caution: What God calls us to do may not always be pleasant or appealing at first. Any of the prophets - and Jesus - can testify to that. But we also believe that when God calls us to such a ministry, God also makes it very clear that we are the one chosen to go. Jonah may not have wanted to go to Ninevah. And his experience in the belly of the big fish may not have changed his heart. But he had no doubt about Who was telling him to go there! Above all, we need to remain alert, open, and available to God and not merely our wishes.
In the Revised Standard Version of the Bible, the word “heart” appears nearly 1,000 times. The Psalmist says, “Search me, O God, and know my HEART!” (Psalm 139:23) “Where is God going to look when he searches me to really know my HEART?” In the book, Ordinary Christians in a High-Tech World, Robert Slocum suggests that the biblical HEART has five unique dimensions, emotional, volitional, ethical, intellectual, and spiritual. The emotional dimension refers to our range of emotions, both positive and negative. The volitional dimension refers to our will - courageous or cowardly. The ethical dimension refers to our knowledge of good and evil. The intellectual dimension refers to understanding God's ways, and the spiritual dimension is our point of contact with God. Slocum says, “As God reveals his thoughts, feelings, discernment of good and evil, and will, people's HEARTs grow and are transformed... when this happens, God can use his people to reshape the church and the world.” To understand our heart helps us discover what role God has in mind for us in his reshaping business.
Take some time now to fill out the Heart Discovery Worksheet. Don’t go too fast, and don’t be surprised if nothing comes to you at first. But you do have “heart.” It may be in areas you hadn’t thought about in a long time. When you discover your heart, it will tell you where you should serve. (Remember, experience influences your heart, your heart tells you where to serve. Your abilities and spiritual gifts tell you what to do when you serve. And your personality tells you how to serve.)
Ordinary Christians in a High-Tech World , Robert E. Slokum, p. 58
ibid., p. 59
Ibid., p. 63
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