Over the last few years I became aware of the condition of my heart. God tells us He has taken out the heart of stone and given us a heart of flesh. We can have the heart God has for others and for Him. Our heart of flesh can be deceitful. But our new heart is beautiful and filled with the will of God and His goodness and beauty.
God tells us that He wants our whole heart.
He tells us that out of the heart the mouth speaks. Even if you were like I was and stuffed many things...it will come out. Have you ever thrown up past wrongs to someone...even someone you loved? I have and been so sorry of it later. It was stored up past hurts in my heart. That had turned bitter and angry. I tried to keep a level balance to myself and my life. Being happy all the time. But the things I had not worked out with others. The things I had not taken to God. Came out and cause damage to those I love.
I try to keep a short account wrongs done to me and the sin as a result, in my heart. Some might even think I am in sincere because I change. Going to the Lord and the Spirit with the wrong motives of my heart is how I live. I have learned that I can't pretend or change my own heart.
Asking the Spirit and the Lord to search me and show me if there is any wrong ways in me it the way God has shown me this is the way, I must live. I don't have to share everything with everyone but sharing with a wise, trusted friend for wisdom can help. They can show you where you are not trusting God and give you wisdom. Even then the things that comes out of my heart to the Lord is what is stored up in my heart.
The Spirit changes us from the inside. What you have in your heart will come out. When I noticed that I have sin in my heart I ask for the gift of repentance. Asking others to forgive you is healing for you both. It changes from my flesh to the very heart of God. I am different. My anger and other sins of the heart is thrown as far as the east is from the west and remembered no more. I have a love for others that I can not muster up myself. I love even those that are different from me. Those I struggle to see their side or what their choices are that maybe I would not chose. My predigest are broken down and I am chief of all sinner, forgiven and loved. I am a saint of the most High God.
We are told we should not bless and praise God and curse or yell, you might say, to others. This just should not be so. So what do we do? How do we change. I have mentioned going to the Spirit to change us but we can also do other things to help the condition of our heart,
We can self talk. Tell ourselves who we are in Christ. The truths of the gospel. That Jesus loves us so much He died for us. That the Father chose us and gave us to His Son. We are His children. He delights and rejoices over us. We are to reject the thoughts of the flesh and the devil and draw near to God. He will draw near to you.
The other thing we can do is store His word in our hearts by daily meditating on His word. Meditating on these things...
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things.
Gods word is powerful and it can change us. Beginning and ending our day in His word is a way to keep the thoughts and words of our mouths sincere and good. Even just a verse or two. That usually leads me to look up more and more verses. I love doing this.
Spending time talking to God all throughout my day helps me. Being in His presence and the presence of the Holy Spirit.
Worship is a great way to change the heart from complaining to gratitude. You can't worship God and complain about the live He has given you at the same time. Being thankful in all things is the life of the christian that trust in God. Worship can do this for you and honor God at the same time in worship.
Surrender is another way. Surrendering your life and your heart, those you love and struggle with is trusting God as sovereign over all. Faith is a way to rid you of fear. Trusting God and His promises to you keeps your heart from anxiety and depression in many cases. If you struggle here again, surrender with the surrender of Jesus. Ask the Spirit.
Self righteousness is a struggle I have had for years. Seeing the sins of my heart and how dependent I am on the Spirit to change me has helped me see...I am just like the other person or worse.
We all need healing to guard our hearts. The result of wounds and wrongs can cause sin in our heart if we are not realizing that by His wounds we are healed. Having someone pray over and with us as we go to the Lord with our wounded, broken heart brings love and hope and joy.
I would love to hear the ways you guard your heart. The struggles you might have in blessing and building others up. I think of myself as an encourager. I think it is because I need encouraging so much. I struggle some times with having hope. But I must remember my hope is in Jesus and not others, my circumstances or me. God uses us in our weakness. Confess them to Him.
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