What Does Being Relational Mean?
The heart is at the center of our motivation, our mental health, and most importantly our connection to God. So as we look around us at hearts that are clogged, flooded, beaten down , and discouraged it is unquestionable that one of the greatest services we can provide to our community is taking the time to try and serve their hearts. This is not about providing a physical thing, this is not about teaching them something but instead we are pouring medicine into the hearts that are clogged, flooded, beaten down, and discouraged.
How Do I Practice This?
What exactly does it mean to pour medicine into someone's heart? What is the medicine we are pouring? The medicine we are asking you to use is love, and the way we pour it in is by looking into their eyes and showing them that you want to be there for them. There are so many people that feel alone in their hurts, or that no one in their life cares enough to let them express where they hurt. The goal is for our people to be that person for someone in their life this week and point them to the greatest listener in history, their heavenly Father.
How Can I Do This For Someone In My Life?
1) Determine Who You Are Called To Serve- Pray about who in your life you have noticed may need an intentional relationship. Make sure that this person is someone who you would be able to normally talk to and encourage.
2) Find a time and a place- where is it that both you and the person who needs healing can be comfortable for a long period of time? (in a home? at a park?)
3) Ask the Right Questions- what is it that you know is probably bothering them? what are they concerned about? where do they not seem themselves? .... The goal in asking these questions is not to ask one every 30 seconds, but rather that you are able to ask the question that opens the door to a lasting conversation coming primarily from their mouth about their life.
4) Deep Listening- It is one thing to listen to the sound waves coming out of a persons mouth.... it is another thing to also listen to the spirit waves coming out of their heart. This is done by taping into God's Spirit as you go into this experience "... And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes ... And God, who sees into our hearts, knows what the thought of the Spirit is; because the Spirit ... So He said to them, "You are the ones who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts" Romans 8:27
5) Understand- there are feelings that come out of a persons heart that may look absolutely nothing like your feelings. hate. anger. loneliness. fear. As you listen to the waves coming out of a person the goal is to purposely try and understand. When you non verbally show that you understand you are creating space for the medicine to find its way in. It is not enough to listen to them you also have to understand why they feel the way they do.
6) Follow Up- a one time conversation is not going to lead to a lasting life change within a person's heart. Make the conscious decision to check in on them and show them that you genuinely care about their pain.
