Heart Language
Recently I went to a men’s ministry breakfast that was honoring a friend who was “retiring” from ministry. Like other faithful servants who have a call to full-time ministry, he is not really retiring. Instead, he is just letting go of full-time employment. The people I most admire don’t really retire; they walk faithfully and obediently all the way home. Anyway, it was totally awkward to be the only woman in a room of 30+ men, but I went to represent 2 of my heroes who were not able to be there. And I am glad for the opportunity.
Ed started by sharing that the key for him was knowing who he is (identity in Christ), which is his heart language. A “heart language” is the language that resonates most deeply with a person, often their mother tongue or the language they use most naturally in their most intimate and emotional moments. It’s the language they think, dream, and express their deepest feelings in, and it’s the language that most effectively communicates profound truths and spiritual concepts.
The Bible emphasizes a strong connection between what’s in a person’s heart and what they say. Jesus says, in Matt. 12:34, “out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks”. What a person says is a reflection of what is in their heart. This means that the words a person uses reveal their inner thoughts, desires, and character. The Bible also highlights the importance of having a “new heart” through faith in Jesus Christ, which leads to a transformation in one’s speech and actions.
A key to heart language is to know who we are because the enemy assaults our identity constantly. John 10:10 says the thief comes to steal, kill and destroy; once he has lost the battle for our soul he continues to attack our minds. He wants to alter our identity. This space between our ears is a lifelong battlefield as we learn to listen to who God says we are while the chaos, lies and negative noise echo constantly. Yet, we are who God says we are, so rather than finding evidence to support the negative and false beliefs, we are called to ask God to remove the walls to liberty and build bridges to hope and peace that are ours for the journey home.
Letting God speak to me and allowing Him to speak through me is the goal, not just during the ministry years, but all the way through this life. May it be so.