How to Have a Helping Heart by Lisa Burkhardt Worley

I want to help people.

This basic thought occurred to me yesterday as I joyously agreed to assist a new friend in learning how to create and edit a podcast on Garageband. I immediately thought about the written tutorial I would put together for her, what she would need for this training session and the type of lunch I would provide when she came over to the house.

That’s when I thought about my heart’s desire to help others. We do it through our POP Talk media by advancing powerful ministries and messages that encourage others. We facilitate it through our books, blogs and conferences. Pearls of Promise is all about helping people—in particular women.

In 1 Thessalonians 5, the Apostle Paul said we should “comfort the fainthearted, help the weak and be patient with everyone” (1 Thessalonians 5:14, TLV). Earlier in 1 Thessalonians 3:12, Paul prayed that the Lord would cause the Thessalonians “to increase and overflow in love for one another and for all people…” (TLV)

You might think, That’s easy with the people I like, or who like me, but what about those people who get under my skin, or the ones who I know don’t care for me?

The good news is you do not have to do this in your own power.

Paul goes on to pray for the Thessalonians “Now may the God of peace make you holy in every way…” then he says, “Greet all the brothers and sisters with a sacred kiss” (1 Thessalonians 5:23 28 NLT). He said to greet all brothers and sisters with a sacred kiss. What? Even the ones who I don’t feel like kissing?

To do this, we just have to pray for the God of peace—the Holy Spirit (our helper)—to show us how to help and love those who we might deem “unhelpable“ or “unloveable” and to give us what we need to be a helper, like Him, to the ones where extra grace is needed. We accomplish this in His power, not our own.

So maybe someone is coming to mind. Let God pour His love into and through you, then helping them will become natural. I am currently praying to love a person who I feel does not care for me. I am asking God to give me favor in this situation and to reveal to her my heart—my helping heart.