Keeping My Heart in the Fathers Love
Prov. 4:23 Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.
Most of us haven’t fully realized that:
1. Walls around our hearts are deadly.
2. Living open-hearted is the key to all good things.
It’s almost acceptable to be in a worry state, and we even show compassion to it. Dog Whisperer Cesar Millan states that we cannot comfort a fearful dog, as that may actually encourage his fear. We must lead him, give him confidence. Maybe there is a principle here for us as well.
Every struggle common to man starts with our hearts going “off-line” for some reason. I may have been triggered by some disappointment or betrayal, or perhaps a loss of some sort. This could have been big or small. Never-the-less, I lose connection with God and it causes me to seek comfort in wrong things, counterfeit affections. All struggle with addictions is rooted here. All issues of self-discipline and initiative lie here. The problem is not in my willpower, my faith, or my strength; it is in the awareness of what is happening in my heart and why. It is a very simple concept, yet a very big deal.
Moving into worry, anxiety, agitation, or impatience are signs my heart is closing. Here are a few more signs:
1. Are the lines at the grocery store or the heavy traffic driving me crazy today?
2. Have I replayed in my head a conversation or situation that pained me, or one that hasn’t even occurred yet?
3. Do I just want to get away from everyone and everything?
4. When others are talking, am I already figuring out what to say before they even finish?
Keeping my heart online determines everything, “for everything you do flows from it.” Understanding that we can learn to recognize emotions as they happen, both in ourselves and others, empowers us to respond in positive ways rather than in destructive ways. Living open-hearted in God’s love is the secret ingredient to fulfilling all our dreams. It is where healthy relationships are built, where creativity and initiative flow, and it is the place of rest and belonging where we don’t need false comforts or counterfeit affections.
Best of all, “keeping my heart” is a skill everyone of us can develop. We can learn what to look for, how to grow in our awareness, and learn what to do to get back “on-line.”
