Heart Check | Christian Bible Studies

Heart Check
Test your spiritual vital signs.
by Nancy Beach | posted 4/20/2005

1 of 7

A frequently heard advertisement on Chicago radio stations is for Heart Check America. The ad is a testimony:

"I am a businessman in my mid forties. I eat well and exercise five times a week. I've never had any serious medical problems. But my wife begged me to have a heart check. The test is quick and painless. She said, 'What have you got to lose?' So I went. And are we glad I did. The doctors discovered major blockage in three arteries and I was scheduled for treatment immediately. Heart Check America saved my life. You may think everything is fine. So did I. Do yourself a favor. Schedule your test today."

What if there was a procedure that could evaluate the condition of your spiritual heart, your heart for ministry?

At the end of an intense season of ministry, I'm limping a little. When friends have asked how I'm doing, I've replied, "Well, my heart isn't working quite right." We occasionally use that phrase around Willow Creek. So I've given some thought to five key indicators that the heart and soul are healthy.

Rate yourself high, medium, or low in each category.

Can you feel deep emotion?

A healthy heart feels emotions deeply. It can be touched by joy, pain, anger, gratitude, and love.

At A Glance

Conduct your own heart check.

Rate yourself in five areas to test your spiritual health:

•Emotions. Have you cried lately? Or really laughed? A healthy heart is fully aware of deep emotion—and can name it.

•Moments. Are you present or preoccupied? Ask your spouse, children, or friends if you're "all there" when you're with them. They can say whether you're "skimming" key relationships.

•Fun. Do you set aside time for enjoyment, whether active sports, quiet reading, arts, or crafts? When was the last time you really had fun?

•People. Do you resent phone calls and people seeking you out? Or do you see them as opportunities for ministry? If you're running for cover, trying to dodge people, you're overextended.

•Whispers. How long has it been since you heard the still, small voice? One of the first signs of a hardening heart is a deafened ear to the quiet promptings of God.

That's the test in brief. The article will help you interpret your findings.

Last February, when my heart was working better, I had such an experience. My family and I were at Disney World. We were watching a fabulous outdoor version of The Lion King. At one point, singers, dancers, and live animals—elephants and camels and tigers—paraded by to the beautiful music of that show. Then each performer invited a lucky child to join in the parade. One performer went to a young woman in a wheelchair. She was in her twenties, I guessed, and appeared to have cerebral palsy. The performer checked with her parents for permission to push her wheelchair along in the magnificent parade. They readily agreed. I don't know who was more radiant, the young woman or the loving parents who beamed with joy. I wondered about their journey together and the sacrifices they had made.

next page... |

1 of 7