Steph was stuck. Her work as a project manager paid well but she worried all the time … about losing her job and looking stupid. Her performance review loomed ahead. So what did she do? This . . .
- binged on Netflix nightly
- pigged out on ice cream
- dwelled on all the possible scenarios of her dreaded performance review
- felt uneasy overall and had headaches too
- had difficulty sleeping
The list is almost endless. Each one of us shows our anxiety, depression, anger, and other emotions in varying ways.
you want to get unstuck?
In a pit of depression? You want hope.
Plagued with anxiety? You want peace.
On fire with anger? You want wrongs righted.
When you’re stuck, you want a map to getting unstuck.
What Is the Heart?
The heart of biblical counseling is one-to-one intensive discipleship with a solution-focused plan and purpose.
The plan: sharing biblical truth and love with a hurting person.
The purpose: experiencing genuine change. Flowing from heart change is life change–actually, an improvement–for one’s good and for God’s glory.
The heart is the word used in the bible to describe the inner person. It is the part of a person that holds one’s motivations, desires, and beliefs. Your thoughts, emotions, and actions flow from your heart.
Above all else, guard your heart,
for everything you do flows from it. (Proverbs 4:23, NIV)
Biblical counselors often says that the heart is the control center of a person.
Experience a Trial or a Triumph
When your motivations, desires, and beliefs do not in line with what God wants for you — and he always wants what’s best for you, even when it doesn’t feel like it — you experience a trial.
Your heart is self-centered, not Christ-centered. It all about “what pleases me.” A Christ-centered heart focuses on what pleases God.
When your heart is self-centered, your thoughts become dark and confused, and they influence your emotions.
EXAMPLE:
So what’s the first step to get unstuck?
Step 1: Repent
Genuine heart change depends on the Holy Spirit. Jesus shared a beautiful picture of heart change in the parable of the Prodigal Son.
You’re probably familiar with it: A father had two grown sons. The younger son demanded his share of his father’s inheritance. This father met his outlandish demand, and the foolish son spent his wealth on wild living, became penniless, and found a job feeding pigs and hungered for food.
Then something wonderful happened:
“When he came to his senses…” (Luke 15:17, NIV)
The younger son had a change of thought. “Change of thought” is the meaning of repentance. It is the most important step to getting unstuck and becoming free of your troubling thoughts, emotions, and actions.
But of what should you repent? This is the next step.