Today it is increasingly common in Christian circles to talk about the importance of addressing the heart. The premise is important as we minister to our kids and to one another. Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the German pastor and theologian, noted the importance of ministering to the heart in a work he wrote in the 1930s called Spiritual Care. It is common, Bonhoeffer noted, that we will ask a question when we are in some difficulty or trial. But the truth is our question is usually hiding an issue of the heart that needs to be uncovered:
It is imperative to move from the question that breaks out of an earthly or natural stress situation to the distress of sin.
In other words, when we are troubled enough to ask a question, we are often masking a lack of faith in the Lord, a lack of trust in his providence, a lack of confidence in the gospel to meet our every need. If we only address the "question that breaks out of an earthly or natural stress" we may fail to get to the heart of the matter which is indwelling sin. Bonhoeffer continues:
This is particularly important in pastoral conversation with young people. With them most questions are but a pretext. So we shouldn't take the question put forth with dead seriousness, but of course we must take seriously the one who has asked the question. His question hides his situation. He sketches his anxiety but does not confess sin. We must move from pretext to the central issue. Suggested changes in lifestyle are not much help; only God's offer of forgiveness can come as help.
This is helpful but hard counsel. It is so much easier -- with young people and adults -- to address surface issues. It is hard to explore the knotty issues of the heart. It's like a doctor putting a band aid on a broken leg. It doesn't solve anything. Someone may come to you with a complaint, a concern, an anxiety and he may want a band aid. He may feel happier when he gets the band aid. But if his bone is broken, the placebo will wear off as soon as he puts weight on his foot.
Sin is in all of our hearts, and the wise counselor (and good friend) will lovingly and patiently let that sin be known so that God can do the work of granting forgiveness. Then joy will erupt.
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