178. How Is Your H.E.A.R.T?178. How Is Your H.E.A.R.T?
Hope in Recovery
Andy Petry introduces the H.E.A.R.T. check as a simple way to pause, name pain and stress, and bring those burdens to Jesus. The focus stays on honest self-reflection, biblical hope and the support of healthy recovery community before Easter.
15:47•31 Mar 2026
How Is Your H.E.A.R.T? A Simple Check-In for Honest Recovery
Episode Overview
- Use the H.E.A.R.T. check (Hurting, Exhausted, Angry, Resentful, Tense) to honestly assess what is happening inside you.
- Face pain directly, because unacknowledged pain often surfaces through unhealthy behaviours.
- Recognise different kinds of exhaustion—physical, emotional and relational—and invite God into each one.
- Name anger and resentment honestly, understanding that buried emotions and grudges can erode recovery.
- Bring every burden to Jesus and share it with safe people in your recovery community, trusting his promise of rest.
“If we don't look at our pain, oftentimes we'll act out our pain.”
What can we learn from those who have battled addiction? This short but meaningful instalment of **Hope in Recovery** offers a gentle pause in a busy week, especially for anyone juggling hurts, hang-ups, habits and faith. Andy Petry, a grateful believer in Jesus who shares openly about his struggles with anxiety, depression, sexual addiction and grief, walks through a simple but searching tool from Celebrate Recovery: the H.E.A.R.T. check.
He explains that life races on, and unless you slow down, you might "miss the opportunity to experience the comfort of God" right in the middle of your chaos. H.E.A.R.T. stands for Hurting, Exhausted, Angry, Resentful and Tense. Andy invites listeners to ask honest questions: Am I in pain? Am I worn out physically, emotionally or relationally? What am I angry about, even if it feels silly? Who am I resentful toward?
Where am I stressed and holding tension in my body? As he puts it, "If we don't look at our pain, oftentimes we'll act out our pain." Rooted in Scripture like Psalm 139 and Matthew 11:28-30, the episode keeps pointing back to Jesus as the one who cares about every burden and offers real rest.
Andy reminds the audience that recovery happens "one step at a time with Jesus and healthy community" and that nothing they bring to God is too big or too messy. The tone is warm, honest, and practical—ideal for anyone in Celebrate Recovery or considering it, or for those simply needing a moment to check in with their own heart before Easter.
You’ll come away with a straightforward exercise you can scribble in a journal, share with a sponsor, or use with your "forever family" in recovery. So how is your H.E.A.R.T today—and what might change if you actually told God the truth about it?
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