"Do you have a sick heart?"
         "Is your heart sick?"

 Many of us if asked these questions would reply rather rashly.
     "I am not sick, I am very healthy!"
            "What are you trying to say?"

If we were to all talk candidly, I know we could all come to the conclusion that either we know someone with a sick heart or maybe we are the ones walking around with a sick heart.
You may be wondering what I mean by a "sick heart" but let me explain.

Proverbs 13:12 say " Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life."
 and here it is in the Message version "Unrelenting disappointment leaves you heartsick,
    but a sudden good break can turn life around."

Many of us are carrying hearts that are sick due to disappointment, loss, and failures. Maybe you hoped and prayed things would be different than they are now. Some of us put "all of our eggs into one basket."  Maybe you set a five year plan, and still find yourself on day one. Some more tragically were praying for a miracle that never seemed to be heard by God. If honest, we all have had a sick heart, or currently are dealing with a sick heart.

Sometimes we have a sick heart because we set our hearts on things that will continually let us down. We put too my faith and trust in people, people are not perfect and will continually let us down. We put our faith in our jobs or money. Sometimes we set ourselves up for disappointment by putting our faith in something besides God. God is the only one who can fully support our hearts. Although our family and friends are God-given they are not God-givers. Although our jobs are God-given they are not our true source of provision.  People cannot give us what God can, and we cannot set our hearts on them. Jobs/money will not save us from hurt or loss, no matter the amount. Luke 12:34... "For wherever your treasure is, you may be certain that your heart will be there too!"

How do we help ourselves when our heart is sick? The only thing that can help, is the Holy Spirit. We need to pray and ask the Holy Spirit, our Comforter, to bring us comfort and remind us how things we have forgotten, promises we have let go of.  John 14:26  "But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you."

The best thing is to get alone and talk to God, we must always remember He cares for us. Matthew 6 encourages us vs 5-6 "But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you." I love verse 8 "your Father knows what you need before you ask him."

Our Father, knows our needs, before we even ask. Today if you find yourself disappointed and discourage, go have a talk with the Father, allow the Holy Spirit to comfort you today. "Don't put off for tomorrow what you can do today."
I don't know about you but I would prefer not to feel this way much longer, I am going to talk with my Father, who knows what I need.








 

You have a story, tell it!

Psalm 107
1. Give THANKS to the Lord, for HE IS GOOD; His LOVE endures FOREVER.
2. Let the redeemed of the Lord tell THEIR STORY- those He redeemed from the hand of the foe, those He gathered from the lands, from east and west, from north and south.

This passage tore me up this morning.  I woke up feeling like I was in the same position I was in last year. I feel like I am running in circles, trying to figure out the same lesson over and over again. I feel the Lord saying "Look into the pattern and figure the way out." I heard someone say the other day that God always shows up things in patterns. Thinking this morning about it, God brought me directly to this passage.

The pattern I see is God always saves, BUT it is our responsibility to TELL OUR STORY, the story of how He has redeemed us.

vs 4-5 says they were wandering, unsettled, hungry, thirsty, exhausted

vs 6 They cried out, HE DELIVERED them from their distress, I love this part in verse 7 "He led them by a straight way to a city where they could settle."

What a great testimony for many of us today the feeling of being unsettled, but the promise is that if we call on Him, He will lead us a straight way, give us a short cut to somewhere to settle. How many of us today are dealing with unsettled heart issues, hurt, resentment, disappointment? Would you like God to give you a settled heart? Would you like God to give you a behind the scenes tour to what is really going on, so He can heal you faster? Why struggle, when you know you can cry out and be DELIVERED?

vs 8-9 "Let them give thanks to the Lord for His unfailing love and His wonderful deeds for mankind, for He satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things."

Thank you Jesus for unfailing love and satisfying us with GOOD things.

vs 10 "some sat in darkness, utter darkness"
vs 13-14  "then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and He saved them from their distress. He brought them out of darkness, the utter darkness, and broke away their chains."

vs 15 "Let them give thanks to the Lord for His unfailing love and His wonderful deed for mankind."

He did it again!"

vs 17 "some became fools through their rebellious ways...."
vs 19 "They cried out...HE saved them!"
vs 20 "He sent out His word and healed them; He rescued them from the grave."

...and again"

vs 23 "some went out on the sea in ships..."
vs 28 "they cried out...He brought them out of their distress."

read the rest of it, it shows you the heart of our Father, no matter what we do He continues to save and redeem us!

Psalm 107:29-43

New International Version (NIV)

²⁹ He stilled the storm to a whisper;
    the waves of the sea^[a] were hushed.
³⁰ They were glad when it grew calm,
    and he guided them to their desired haven.
³¹ Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love
    and his wonderful deeds for mankind.
³² Let them exalt him in the assembly of the people
    and praise him in the council of the elders.

³³ He turned rivers into a desert,
    flowing springs into thirsty ground,
³⁴ and fruitful land into a salt waste,
    because of the wickedness of those who lived there.
³⁵ He turned the desert into pools of water
    and the parched ground into flowing springs;
³⁶ there he brought the hungry to live,
    and they founded a city where they could settle.
³⁷ They sowed fields and planted vineyards
    that yielded a fruitful harvest;
³⁸ he blessed them, and their numbers greatly increased,
    and he did not let their herds diminish.

³⁹ Then their numbers decreased, and they were humbled
    by oppression, calamity and sorrow;
⁴⁰ he who pours contempt on nobles
    made them wander in a trackless waste.
⁴¹ But he lifted the needy out of their affliction
    and increased their families like flocks.
⁴² The upright see and rejoice,
    but all the wicked shut their mouths.

⁴³ Let the one who is wise heed these things
    and ponder the loving deeds of the Lord

I wanted to write and speak encouragement over us today. God is looking for thankful hearts among His children. Many of us have found ourselves in situations like the people in Psalm 107 unsettled, in darkness, rebellious but we know He always saves and redeems us. My mother always says "When did God ever fail us?" The answer is always,  NEVER! He has never failed me or abandoned me in my trouble. But what is He asking in return for all He does "Let them give THANKS!" Sometimes the best way to give thanks is to tell your story of redemption. Who can you share your story with today?