Page 19 - BMIN191 Beginnning Internship

The Heart of Ministry 19

moments of hardship, leaving the man or woman of God with the feeling that
there is little benefit in pursuing or living for God. A thankful heart is insulation
against hopelessness.

The Development
A thankful heart is not developed accidentally. A weekly habit of gathering with
others and singing praises will not yield a thankful heart. Thanksgiving grows out of
an awareness of God in every part of life. The apostle Paul told the Thessalonians to
“pray continually” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). Of course, we cannot think he meant an
unending kneeling with petitions. Rather, Paul is encouraging them to abide in an
ongoing awareness of God and His abiding presence and provision.
Extended times of worship are also essential for the thankful heart. The life of
ministry will provide its busyness, but the minister must step away from the endless
list of tasks, separate from a self-consumed heart, and offer genuine praise.
Finally, a growing trust will lead to thanksgiving. While it is possible to receive
from God and fail to be thankful, the more genuine the trust in God, the more alert
one becomes to the need for thankfulness to fill all the recesses of that heart.

Summary

While the ministry is dominated by tasks and demonstrations of gifts, it is the
nurturing of the right heart that will bring the greatest and most lasting results. The
Bible has much to say about the heart, pointing out that from the heart all of life
will ultimately emerge. Therefore, ministers must cultivate the right heart above all
other efforts in order to fulfill their greatest potential for God’s kingdom.

8 What areas of weakness There are many components to the right heart—too many to include in
exist in your heart toward this lesson. But among the most essential are a heart that honors God, obeys
God? What steps can you His commands, and gives thanks to Him. The first two kings of ancient Israel
take to address such vices?
demonstrate these essential qualities by their absence from the heart of one (Saul)
and their abundance in the heart of the other (David). Ministers must recognize that
the condition of their hearts will ultimately shape their effectiveness in ministry.

Turning from the Wrong Heart

LESSON “Above all else, guard your heart, for it affects everything you do”
1.2 (Proverbs 4:23, NLT).

Tiny and unseen, the rudder of a ship wields a powerful influence over the
mightiest of vessels. Though buried beneath the waves, this little piece of metal
dictates direction by parsing the stream of water according to its own bent. A
1.2.1 passing ship will cross the same waters, but take a different direction based
OBJECTIVE of the angle of its rudder. So it is with our hearts. Each of us can encounter
Define the traits of a circumstances that are virtually identical to the experience of another but find
doubting heart, a proud our course through them unique, based on the condition of each heart. For this
heart, and a resentful heart. reason, the Bible compels us to guard our hearts, to protect this rudder of our
lives. Our lives will be channeled wherever our hearts turn.