In this week's chapter of You Can Change, 'When Do you Struggle?', Tim Chester addresses the way that our behaviour betrays what's in our hearts:Human beings are always interpreters and always worshippers. We're interpreters who form explanations for what's happening to us. And we were made by God to worship him, so worship is hard-wired into our being.He argues that if we can identify what our distorted beliefs are, then we will be able to start to change: 'the key is to make the link between our specific sins and the lies and idols in our hearts'.
There is a two-fold problem in the heart: what we think or trust and what we desire or worship. Sin happens when we don't trust God above everything (when we interpret in the wrong way) and when we don't desire God above everything (when we worship the wrong thing). Sin happens when we believe lies about God instead of God's word and when we worship idols instead of worshipping God.
If there was one question I had about this chapter, it was whether everything can be simply resolved as being a 'heart issue' in this sense. Don't get me wrong, I agree with Tim Chester here - that we need to address the sins of our hearts if we truly want to change. But, I wonder if it is a neat, complete answer to everything. Stuart (who is an old friend of ours from Petersham Baptist days and a member of Tim Chester's church-planting network, 'The Crowded House'), has started a series on 'the heart issue' and (in these two posts) suggests some ways that you can take the 'heart issue' too far.I also thought his post from last week, 'The Chicken and the Egg of Belief and Behaviour', might be relevant to this topic too. Sometimes I suspect more weight should be given to the way changed behaviour can lead to changed beliefs, when we talk about examining our hearts - it's not just a one way street!
All that aside though, I do think that what Tim Chester has to say in this chapter is very valuable for my situation (and probably yours too!). I found his questions at the end of the chapter extremely useful in narrowing down what is going on in mind when I am feeling anxious. I won't go into lots of details, but here are a few situations that I've come up with that cause me anxiety:
- When I do something that creates a risk people will disapprove of me, talk about me behind my back, or just not like me (I know, it's probably a bit silly of me to write a blog if those are the things that bother me!!)
- When I'm not in control of the circumstances - especially involving the kids (e.g. if we are in an unfamiliar situation, I'm much more likely to be overly anxious about their safety).
- When I'm tired!
Posts in this series: 1. You Can Change
2. Why This is a Dangerous Book For Me
3. Legalism
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10 comments:
Hi Nic! It's an interesting question, isn't it? - can you take the "heart issue" too far? I have similar questions. I agree totally with Tim Chester (and the Bible?!) that the heart is, well, at the heart of sin, and the fundamental thing which needs to be dealt with by God and the gospel. I tend to drive all my sins back to the heart level these days - to my lack of trust in God's grace, or my discontent, or my pride. But I can see problems here, especially for an introspective person like me.
There's a few problems I've started to become aware of:
- introspection, absorption in my thoughts and emotions;
- putting my hope in my own self-examination and ability to "preach the gospel to myself" rather than in God and the gospel;
- and (a related problem) prayer becoming all about trying to get my emotions and thoughts in line, rather than trustfully praying for God to change me.
I agree that behaviour changes the heart as well as the other way around.
Anyway, there's a lot of food for further thought here, and I'd welcome any more thoughts you have on the issue.
(Thanks for the link to Stuart's blog - is he planting a TCH church in Australia?)
... although now I come to think of it, I think I agree with Tim Chester that everything is a heart issue - the question for me is a practical one: do we need to deal with everything by delving into the dark motives of our hearts? Is it healthy to always do this, for ourselves or others? I'm not sure.
Hi Nicole. I'm enjoying this series, particularly how you're applying it to your situation.
There are many different books of this sort out there. Was there a reason why you chose that particular one?
Looking forward to more.
Thanks Jean and Simone!
Simone, I picked the Tim Chester book for a few reasons. I'd read and listened to a bit of his stuff before (e.g. on missional church) and have appreciated the way he applies theology to the practicalities of life. Dave's also read some of his books and liked them for the same reason. There are things he doesn't talk about much that others do better, I think, but then there are things he covers that many others don't touch.
Jean, I agree with you that 'everything is a heart issue'. Like you, I just don't think that the way the heart changes is always via a conscious, congnitive process of delving into our motives and rethinking our beliefs. Sometimes the heart changes in response to a change in circumstances or behaviour or the structure of our lives (eg. Jesus tells us that our heart will be where our money is, not just that our money will be where our heart is!); sometimes our heart changes by the mysterious, invisible work of the Holy Spirit in answer to prayer; and so on...
But (again, like you!) I still think there is a big place for interrogating our assumptions and preaching the gospel to ourselves, with the aim of seeing a change in the thoughts and intentions of our hearts.
I really must read this book :/
And if I'd known you were going to link to my blog, Nicole, I would've taken more care with my writing and chosen less ridiculous article titles ;)
And I'm not planning on planting any churches at this stage, Jean. I'm working for TCH's training arm (http://www.theporterbrooknetwork.org/).
Thanks, Stuart. It's a great book - I'm working through it too at the moment, and finding it very encouraging. You'll have to read it and tell us what you think!
One more thought, Nic and Stuart: do you think that all this "heart work" can be a Christian form of self-analysis? I think it's wonderful that Chester and people in the Biblical counselling movement address issues like anxiety and even depression from God's word, applying his truth to any and every situation. But I worry a bit that we can turn godliness into a pietistic (is that the right word?)or psychological activity which starts with our problems and neglects important things like love, evangelism and service. I know Tim Chester would never do this. But I know it's a tendency in me, which can sometimes be encouraged by books like this. Or is it that we have to attack godlienss on all fronts - heart, emotions, mind, life, behaviour, love - all at once? What do you reckon?
Jean, I think that's a good thought about attacking on all fronts!
And Stuart, I really liked your titles! And yes, you should read the book!
I think one thing that can help us become too focused on naval-gazing is living in community. That is, it reminds us that our ultimate goal is God's glory (not 'my personal holiness' per se). And even with regard to 'my personal holiness', I'm not the only one (humanly speaking) involved in that! Rather, we're part of a family of believers who are a blessing to one another and who together bless those outside the family.
If we do these things in day-to-day life together, there seems less risk of fixating on my problems.
But then, that's easy to say when one has a relatively easy life, and is part of quite a robust Christian community!
I wholeheartedly agree that introspection is a problem. (Actually it's a heart problem! It's putting me at the centre - and sometimes perhaps even seeking salvation within.) I don't want to encourage people to go on what David Powlison calls 'idol hunts' or analyse their every action and behaviour. Only when there is a presenting issue should we explore what's going on in our hearts and only then so we can identify the truth about God to which we need to turn. The key thing is turning to God - not turning inward.
Thanks Tim!
I just got to chapter 6 this week, where you say much the same thing. (I was guessing from what you'd said in the first chapter, that you would say something along these lines.)
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