Heart of a Friend
The Heart of a Friend podcast was born out of a desire to share some of the most important things learned from a lifetime of experience. It is hosted by Andy Wiegand. Andy retired in 2017 after 40 years of pastoral ministry. He and his wife now reside in Columbus, Ohio. They have raised six children and are now very happy to be grandparents.
Andy grew up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and received his education at Harvard University (B.A. ’73) and Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary (M.Div. ’78). In his retirement Andy devotes time to charitable work, visits with friends and family, exercises and continues to do a lot of reading and thinking about life.
Heart of a Friend
A Moment that Changed Everything! Ep. 56 | How to Cope with a Life That’s Too Short - Part 2
Highlights
A Moment that Changed Everything! (Episode 56)
How to Cope with a Life That’s Too Short - Part 2
Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.
Only when we take into account the full measure of our mortality do we have any chance of taking timely and appropriate action. Denial is our enemy. That’s why the first prayer in the second half of this psalm is a necessary step toward making wiser choices about life.
What is a heart of wisdom? In the light of our inevitable expiration date, here are three choices a wise person makes.
First: Make peace with God.
“Begin with the end in mind.” (Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, Stephen Covey)
The first step of wisdom is to prepare for eternity. Begin with the end on mind. Make your peace with God through Jesus Christ.
Second: Walk with God NOW in this life.
Do some reverse engineering. Start with the fact that we’re going to meet God some day. Wouldn’t it be best to get to know him now.
“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” It points us to this truth, that wisdom is not a set of propositions, it’s a Person. Spending time with God is the fast track to wisdom.
When the Bible speaks of the “fear of God,” it’s not because God is a peevish, temperamental, unpredictable tyrant who may turn on us at any moment. It’s quite the opposite. It’s a fear grounded in the knowledge that God is consistently good and righteous. And we care enough about our relationship with God that we don’t want to disappoint or betray him. We’re afraid to let him down. That’s what the biblical fear of God is all about.
Third: Be coachable.
God is not passive. If we are walking with God, he’s going to begin teaching us some stuff. If we ask Him, who is the source of all wisdom, he will lead us in the way of wisdom. The only catch is whether or not we’re ready to listen. He will insist on being not just Savior, but Lord - Coach with a capital “C.”
“It’s what you learn after you know it all that really counts.” (John Wooden)
Good declarations to make: I will learn. I will grow. I will change. I will become more than what I am. I will get better. I will admit when I’m wrong. I will be humble and receptive to God’s wisdom. I will be coachable. I will ask more questions. I will learn to listen more than I talk. I will ask for advice. I will be receptive to the “kernel of truth” in every criticism. I will not only be a hearer, but a doer of God’s Word.