LESSON 9 – THE MAINTENANCE STEPS (HEART & GIVE)
- STEP 7: ASK FOR FORGIVENESS.
I will offer forgiveness to those who have hurt me, and I will ask for forgiveness for any wrong I’ve done to others.
“Happy are those who know they are spiritually poor.” (Matthew 5:3)
WATCH THIS WEEK’S GROUP VIDEO
The path toward God’s way encourages us to spend time with Him daily so we can grow and develop spiritually. The path toward the world’s way keeps us busy but also keeps us from developing an intimate, inner relationship with God.
When your heart is not right, things don’t go right. When your heart needs work, you’re easily distracted and discouraged. Because of this, it’s important to spend time evaluating the conflicts which attack your heart. Below is a tool you can use to stop, step outside yourself, and evaluate your heart.
Search me, O God, and know my heart; test my thoughts. Point out anything you find in me that makes you sad and lead me along the path of everlasting life. (Psalm 139:23-24)
- IS YOUR HEART H -
Is your heart healthy or hurting? We often just live on autopilot, just reacting to life as it comes. So often we are not being honest with ourselves. One way to test our heart’s condition is to be honest about whether or not there’s still pain in your life that you need to deal with. It’s difficult to love others with a hurting heart.
“The heart is the most deceitful thing there is and desperately wicked. No one can really know how bad it is! Only the Lord knows! He searches all hearts and examines deepest motives so he can give to each person his right reward, according to his deeds—how he has lived.” (Jeremiah 17:9)
IS YOUR HEART E -
Are you too tired to spend time with God? Not interested in caring for or showing love to others? We all have moments like that, but if we’re consistently not eager to do the things God desires, that’s not healthy. It’s a reflection of a tired or exhausted heart. If you are always tired, it’s time to pay attention to your body, mind, and spirit. Get some rest, go for a walk, see a doctor, open up God’s Word, worship with those around you.
Happy are those who … find joy in obeying the Law of the Lord … they study it day and night. They are like trees that grow beside a stream, that bear fruit at the right time. (Psalm 1:1–3)
IS YOUR HEART A -
Which description fits you? Think back to everything you’ve said today – both with your words and body language. What was the tone? What was your intent? What were the actual words? Was an attitude of love flowing from your words, your smile, and your eyes? Or, were you easily angered when you saw certain people? What we say to others is a big indicator of the condition of our hearts. Our words reveal more about ourselves than we probably want.
When you talk, do not say harmful things, but say what people need—words that will help others become stronger. Then what you say will do good to those who listen to you. (Ephesians 4:29)
IS YOUR HEART R -
Is there an event or incident from your past that you’re still upset about? Is there something that keeps you from sleeping … keeps you from enjoying time with friends … keeps you from growing in your relationship with God and others? If so, your heart is probably full of resentment and it needs to be refreshed! Resentment is ugly and drains life from your heart. God wants your heart to be refreshed with Him. Take out some paper and work a 4th step!
Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything; tell God your needs, and don’t forget to thank him for his answers. (Philippians 4:6)
IS YOUR HEART T -
How do you feel about other people? Do you care what happens to them? Are you interested in telling them about ways God can help, or do you avoid sharing good news with them? If people are a bother, you might have a tense heart. A tender heart feels the pain of others and responds. “Be still, and know that I am God.” (Psalm 46:10)
- STEP 8: Support others. I will take the message that God heals to others in need and share it by my words and actions.
“Happy are those who are persecuted because they do what God requires.” (Matthew 5:10)
Step 8 is called the “giving-back” step. Why “giving-back”? It’s a reminder that God wants you to take what you’ve learned and help others grow as you have been growing.
What a wonderful God we have! He is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the source of every mercy, and the one who so wonderfully comforts and strengthens us in our hardships and trials. And why does He do this? So that when others are troubled, needing our sympathy and encouragement, we can pass on to them this same help and comfort He has given us. (2 Corinthians 1:3-4)
Are you willing to help others learn what you’ve learned? If so, you’re ready to GIVE.
“Freely you have received, freely give.” (Matthew 10:8)
What does it mean to GIVE?
GIVING MEANS YOU G -
You are never more like God than when you give—not just money or things, but your very self. That’s what Jesus did for you. He gave you the greatest gift of all—Himself.
God did not even keep back his own Son but offered him for us all! God gave us his Son—will He not also freely give us all things? (Romans 8:32)
GIVING MEANS YOU I -
The Christian life is not meant to be traveled alone. Just as you’ve been helped along on your journey, so you should reach out and help others learn and grow too.
“‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” (Matthew 22:37–39)
Two are better off than one because together they can work more effectively. If one of them falls down, the other can help him up. But if someone is alone … there is no one there to help him … . Two men can resist an attack that would defeat one man alone. (Ecclesiastes 4:9–12)
GIVING MEANS YOU V -
God never wastes a hurt! Step 8 gives us the opportunity to share our experience, strength, and hope. “This is how it was for me…” “This is what happened to me…” “This is how I gained the strength….” Your change is not a secret to be kept.
Let us give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the merciful Father, the God from whom all help comes! He helps us in all our troubles so that we are able to help those who have all kinds of troubles, using the same help that we ourselves have received from God. (2 Corinthians 1:3)
- GIVING MEANS YOU E -
James 1:22 says we are to be doers of the word. To help one another, we need to keep our eyes open to the opportunities that God provides. And He provides new opportunities each and every day! Look for those opportunities and your “eyesight” to help others will dramatically improve.
My children, our love should not be just words and talk; it must be true love, which shows itself in action. (1 John 3:18)