There are a lot of things competing for your heart in this day and age we live in. Especially in the western world, our lives can very easily be filled with constant entertainment, communication and stimulation. These days our lives are often so full of so much "stuff" yet so much of it really hasn't got there by our conscious choice and so much of it doesn't really hold merit to be there in the first place. A lot of that stuff just ends up there along the path of life as things happen. Good things happen as well as bad things and we as humans adapt and react to these times accordingly. We shift and change depending on whether we feel things are going our way or not. Some days we are ecstatic and soaring above the clouds because of our achievements, possessions or happiness from the company we keep - other days we're a low as a snakes belly because of tragedy and loss that's befallen us. Here's the thing, God never intended us to be like that. He never wanted us to be like leaves blown in the winds of life. Instead He wants us to be like a strong tree - planted, established and growing from a life giving source just like Psalm 1 says.
I sadly lived a lot of my life not caring or valuing my heart at all. I didn't believe what I was told as a very young boy from the Bible that the things you let in change you and I decided to do and try things my way. The truth was whether I believed it or not - the things that came into my life did change me - and most of the time not for the better. I allowed so many things into my life that harmed and eroded my soul. So many things that robbed my health, robbed my sleep, robbed me financially, robbed my relationships but the saddest of all...robbed my relationship with God. The hard truth is this - life isn't easy. There are times when things will go great and everything falls into place and there's nothing wrong with that at all - as a matter of fact God only wants to help us and bless us. But the undeniable truth is we live in a very broken world full of pain, sadness, greed, suffering and sin. And none of us can get down the path of life without being touched and changed by the effects of this world. No matter how nice you are and how pure your intentions may be - people are going to hurt you. Why? Because everyone out there is hungry and needs to the filled and desperate people go the desperate measures.
So what do you do when you've only wanted to help someone and all they did was slap you in the face? What do you do when you only spoke love and truth and the reply was accusation and lies? What do you do when you stood up for good and true to protect others only to feel the cold steel of a dagger in your back from those you should be able to trust? In that day there's going to be a war for your heart. You see, there are many things that want to take up permanent residence in your heart but they can't just get in there by themselves. They need a reason. So when that person attacks you or that horrible atrocity occurs do you let Hatred walk through that door? Do you invite it in and draw from its power to make you stronger for the future? Do you let Fear start to form you and change your behaviour and responses towards people to prevent it happening again? Do you allow Pride to become your strong defence - your hiding place so no one can reach you? Do you allow Shame and Regret to blanket you in darkness in a vain attempt to hide the pain? Yes, there are many things that want to live in your heart but there's only One thing that you can truly trust to keep you safe, to heal you, guard you and teach you. It's the love of God.
The Bible tells us that God is love and love is of God. Love... it's such a strange concept really huh? So what is love? Is love a box of chocolates? Is love a dozen roses? Is love being in the arms of someone who's attracted to you you? Those things are great and sure can be outward signs of love but I believe that true love can be summed up simply in one word... "sacrifice". True and pure love doesn't seek its own gain, it isn't loud or boastful, it doesn't harm or take but instead heals and gives. And this is what it comes to down to... sacrifice. Those days are gonna come and the opportunity for all those horrible things to make a nice little home inside you are gonna be right there waiting by the door. It's up to you if you are willing to sacrifice your pain and let love come and stay instead. I know first hand on the outset that hatred, fear, rage, lust and greed may appear so much more powerful than love but let me paint you a picture. Dogs will bark over and over and bare their teeth at the first sign of a fight - but a lion only needs to show his presence for his authority to be known. Love is that lion. It has nothing to prove and knows it's authority and place.
Trust and believe that the love of God is more powerful and God will surely show you it to be true. I can honestly attest that pure and true love conquers all. It was God's love that reached me and roared with such a ferocity that all my demons fled in fear. God is love and nothing can oppose God. The Bible says in 2 Timothy 2 that we are vessels - whether we are used for good or evil is up to us. And just like dirty dishes can't clean themselves neither can we ever hope to clean up our act by ourselves. The answer is to simply go to Jesus who has the ability to wash us and make us clean and fit for use in the His hand. I'm so thankful to God that spoke the value to me I so badly needed and opened my eyes up to the things in my life that were causing me so much harm, sorrow and pain. He alone helped me to change for the better. I tried for many years to make my life better but to no avail - only through Jesus did things truly change and only through His power did they stay changed. It was when my pride and my ways died - that hubris and ego went to the grave - that Jesus and the life He always intended for me finally came into being.
Jesus taught us the "overflow concept" in Luke chapter 6 that what comes out of your mouth is from whats been built up in your heart. If your heart is filled with hatred, manipulation, violence, fear, lust, greed or other dark things then it's only logical that's going to be what comes out of your mouth. But if you choose to make your heart a place for God's love to reside, to cultivate and grow, to teach and guide you - then that's precisely what people will see come out of you. They will see God in you and in all you say and do. Whatever has filled you the most is what will overflow. Your heart is of extreme value and priceless in the eyes of your Father in Heaven - so choose love. Because God loves you.
I sadly lived a lot of my life not caring or valuing my heart at all. I didn't believe what I was told as a very young boy from the Bible that the things you let in change you and I decided to do and try things my way. The truth was whether I believed it or not - the things that came into my life did change me - and most of the time not for the better. I allowed so many things into my life that harmed and eroded my soul. So many things that robbed my health, robbed my sleep, robbed me financially, robbed my relationships but the saddest of all...robbed my relationship with God. The hard truth is this - life isn't easy. There are times when things will go great and everything falls into place and there's nothing wrong with that at all - as a matter of fact God only wants to help us and bless us. But the undeniable truth is we live in a very broken world full of pain, sadness, greed, suffering and sin. And none of us can get down the path of life without being touched and changed by the effects of this world. No matter how nice you are and how pure your intentions may be - people are going to hurt you. Why? Because everyone out there is hungry and needs to the filled and desperate people go the desperate measures.
So what do you do when you've only wanted to help someone and all they did was slap you in the face? What do you do when you only spoke love and truth and the reply was accusation and lies? What do you do when you stood up for good and true to protect others only to feel the cold steel of a dagger in your back from those you should be able to trust? In that day there's going to be a war for your heart. You see, there are many things that want to take up permanent residence in your heart but they can't just get in there by themselves. They need a reason. So when that person attacks you or that horrible atrocity occurs do you let Hatred walk through that door? Do you invite it in and draw from its power to make you stronger for the future? Do you let Fear start to form you and change your behaviour and responses towards people to prevent it happening again? Do you allow Pride to become your strong defence - your hiding place so no one can reach you? Do you allow Shame and Regret to blanket you in darkness in a vain attempt to hide the pain? Yes, there are many things that want to live in your heart but there's only One thing that you can truly trust to keep you safe, to heal you, guard you and teach you. It's the love of God.
The Bible tells us that God is love and love is of God. Love... it's such a strange concept really huh? So what is love? Is love a box of chocolates? Is love a dozen roses? Is love being in the arms of someone who's attracted to you you? Those things are great and sure can be outward signs of love but I believe that true love can be summed up simply in one word... "sacrifice". True and pure love doesn't seek its own gain, it isn't loud or boastful, it doesn't harm or take but instead heals and gives. And this is what it comes to down to... sacrifice. Those days are gonna come and the opportunity for all those horrible things to make a nice little home inside you are gonna be right there waiting by the door. It's up to you if you are willing to sacrifice your pain and let love come and stay instead. I know first hand on the outset that hatred, fear, rage, lust and greed may appear so much more powerful than love but let me paint you a picture. Dogs will bark over and over and bare their teeth at the first sign of a fight - but a lion only needs to show his presence for his authority to be known. Love is that lion. It has nothing to prove and knows it's authority and place.
Trust and believe that the love of God is more powerful and God will surely show you it to be true. I can honestly attest that pure and true love conquers all. It was God's love that reached me and roared with such a ferocity that all my demons fled in fear. God is love and nothing can oppose God. The Bible says in 2 Timothy 2 that we are vessels - whether we are used for good or evil is up to us. And just like dirty dishes can't clean themselves neither can we ever hope to clean up our act by ourselves. The answer is to simply go to Jesus who has the ability to wash us and make us clean and fit for use in the His hand. I'm so thankful to God that spoke the value to me I so badly needed and opened my eyes up to the things in my life that were causing me so much harm, sorrow and pain. He alone helped me to change for the better. I tried for many years to make my life better but to no avail - only through Jesus did things truly change and only through His power did they stay changed. It was when my pride and my ways died - that hubris and ego went to the grave - that Jesus and the life He always intended for me finally came into being.
Jesus taught us the "overflow concept" in Luke chapter 6 that what comes out of your mouth is from whats been built up in your heart. If your heart is filled with hatred, manipulation, violence, fear, lust, greed or other dark things then it's only logical that's going to be what comes out of your mouth. But if you choose to make your heart a place for God's love to reside, to cultivate and grow, to teach and guide you - then that's precisely what people will see come out of you. They will see God in you and in all you say and do. Whatever has filled you the most is what will overflow. Your heart is of extreme value and priceless in the eyes of your Father in Heaven - so choose love. Because God loves you.
