Category Archives: Healing Hearts

Become Uncomfortable

Read with me, “For our momentary, light distress [this passing trouble] is producing for us an eternal weight of glory [a fullness] beyond all measure [surpassing all comparisons, a transcendent splendor and an endless blessedness]! So we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are unseen; for the things which are visible are temporal [just brief and fleeting], but the things which are invisible are everlasting and imperishable. 2 Corinthians 4:17-18


I have often witnessed that comfort is the default setting I prefer in my life, to my own detriment. Because comfort is relative and subjective to my circumstances, more often than not, when I don’t deal with what is in front of me, I will do the easy thing and run, seeking out the most efficient method to return to a state of comfort.

Many of us possess an intrinsic desire to remain unchallenged. Being settled calms us. Circumstantial security leads us to experience momentary reprieve. But that is all comfort affords us, a short burst of quiet. A rest that is usually short lived, the fallacy exposed at the turn of imminent trouble.

It is the fear of being uncomfortable that we need to face and deal with in order to grow and advance. We have to ask ourselves this daily, “what was I made for, and what am I running from that was meant for me?”  What were you called to? Realizing that you were called to life and love, you can embrace the journey of growing in Him. You are essentially called to do life with Him. The process of unlearning bad habits, outgrowing limiting perspectives, embracing challenging ideas, doing hard things, and learning to wait are all what we are called to. It does not matter most the office you stand in, the gifts you have been equipped with, the field you were assigned in the Kingdom, but what determines whether you reach your destination is whether you lean into the process of getting there. Do not get stuck on the way, being diverted by doubts. He is a good Shepherd who knows the way.  He places emphasis on the fight, the walk, the journey, and the road. The process, the way we live, the journey is significant, because it testifies to the posture our hearts have taken in front of Him who leads.


You were called to this life, this journey, and this freedom. Lean into the process, when it is difficult remind yourself at the other end of this push is growth. Remind your heart to trust and your eyes to stay focused. Remember who He is. Call to mind the call on your life, and go after it with everything inside of you, for you are never alone. In the process, get to know Him more. His heart is good, His intentions towards you are benevolent and sincere. Lean into the life He gave you. Some days it will be a fight. But take those thoughts captive, submit to Him and see how your mind is saved from self-sabotaging thoughts. He is worthy of your trust. Run the race, don’t run away.

Perspective

Read with me, “But my eyes are toward you, O God, my Lord; in you I seek refuge; leave me not defenseless!” Psalm 141:8

What we look at matters, and the way we see impacts the condition of our hearts.  When we fail to truly see Him for who He is, we will experience a lack of hope. People perish when vision is wanting. Things fall to chaos and disorder when our vision is skewed and divided. Why does the psalmist say, ‘look up?’ He understands that a downcast eye is indicative of a despondent heart. Often times throughout the Old Testament we see an angel speaking to a prophet starting the instructions or prophecy with the words, ‘look up.’ There is a receptivity of spirit, an open posture our hearts assume when we look up, a consequent alignment of our hearts that says, “I receive.” When we look up, we initiate a beautiful engagement with what He is saying and doing. Whenever Jesus prayed, He looked up. When King Nebuchadnezzar fulfilled the dream and had come to the end of living like an animal the Bible says he looked up. “But at the end of the days [that is, at the seven periods of time], I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven, and my understanding and reason returned to me; and I blessed the Most High [God] and I praised and honored and glorified Him who lives forever, For His dominion is an everlasting dominion; And His kingdom endures from generation to generation, Daniel 4:34 AMP. He looked up, and as he did his understanding returned, and with it He worshiped.  The way we see, the perspective we adopt affects our faith.

What are you looking at? What do you see? Dry bones? Hopelessness? Is the light still blazing in your eye as you behold your King? Look to Him and be known. Behold, He is good. Circumstances are not a reflection of who He is, or of His heart. They can be altered by His direct actions and provisions, but He is Father and King, and He lives inside of us. See  and behold He is good and present, ready and able. Do not look around you and assume the state of affairs are resultant of His involvement in your life, do not let circumstances be the affector of your love for Him. With affection look at Him and be encouraged to live.  What goes on around us is testifying of physical kingdoms, but what goes on inside us has to testify of the One;  righteousness, peace and joy, this is the effects of the Kingdom of light. Lift your eye and allow His light to brighten your countenance. See, and be seen by the One who loves your soul.

“And [I pray] that the eyes of your heart [the very center and core of your being] may be enlightened [flooded with light by the Holy Spirit], so that you will know and cherish the hope [the divine guarantee, the confident expectation] to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints (God’s people), and [so that you will begin to know] what the immeasurable and unlimited and surpassing greatness of His [active, spiritual] power is in us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of His mighty strength.”
Ephesians 1:18-19

Yield to Yield

Read with me, “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:4-5


The way we live testifies of the source we draw from. The way we speak, they way we think, the way we do things, and the way we live are all testifying of our thought systems. What we consume, we produce. Imagine with me a tree, a tree just being a tree. Now imagine a tree planted by rivers of water, one lush and green, producing shade, yielding its fruit to all who pass by, and just… being a tree. For a well-connected tree, yielding is effortless. For a person who is deeply rooted in Him, even more so. A person disconnected from Him will never know full life.

Just as  a tree was designed to be a tree and do tree related things, we were designed to produce. We were designed to produce fruit, to create, and thrive, not merely to survive. A well tended heart yields fruit, a pruned heart thrives, an abiding heart is full of joy. Note that pruning is not punishment.Pruning is a co-laboring. He doesn’t rush in with His sword and cut you off when He is unhappy. He doesn’t waltz into the garden of your heart and snip off every offending twig, severing you from His nature. He beckons you to take your thoughts captive, He unctions you to tear down strongholds, He reminds you to renew your mind- all this alongside Him with the help of the Comforter.

‘Abide in me’- is an invitation to be in and with Him. There is no ambiguity of text that allows for misinterpreting His intent to be and do alongside you, to help you. His intention is clear – abide. As the roots of a tree remains in soil, as they stay, as they abide in the optimal environment for growth, just so, stay, abide, and be in Him. Do not be moved. Abide.

What are you connected to? Or rather  whom? You see, He who is connected to the vine bears fruit. You can look like a tree, you can have all the attributes in excess, all the while your fruit can be lacking. Beauty and presentation are not all that. We need to go deeper still, and draw life from where we rest in order to yield. Abiding, resting, being in Him is the catalyst to growth. We grow in Him, through Him, by Him. Without Him, it is not possible to bear fruit. Without being founded in Him, and grounded in the truth there will be no yield.

Abiding looks like rest. Abiding sounds like worship. Abiding smells like perfume poured out at His feet. Abiding feels like home. Yield your heart so you can yield fruit. You give your heart to Him, so He can pour you out on others. We abide so we can become a shelter and of use to others. We firstly abide in Him , so we can then bear fruit.  


*Parts of this text has been adapted from a beautifully constructed post by Sandra Barnard, who generously allowed me to pilfer her creative content. All misgivings, misquotes and grammatical errors are my own.

Rest

Read with me, “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.”
John 15:4-5

The dictionary defines rest as, “cease work or movement in order to relax, sleep, or recover strength.”

Presence comes by practicing. Being present with Him requires an intentional tuning of mindfulness towards Him. You become aware by practicing to be aware. Resting equates to lingering where you are placed. When we feel far from Him, removed and cut off, often times we have merely allowed our thoughts to wander and our heart to become preoccupied by the busyness of life.

If you are struggling to rest, consider the possibility that your heart needs to be redirected to the One. Let your thoughts land on His goodness, and allow them to rest there. Redirect your vision, reset your focus, and realign your heart with His intentions. Rest your heart on the fact that He is for you. Cease the momentum of worry by taking every thought captive and lay it to rest at His feet.  Recover your strength as you allow yourself to just be with Him. Your longing will become satisfied by participation. Abiding yields fruit, because without abiding in Him we can do nothing. Abiding is an active state, an action, an intentional doing. Abide, rest, be.

If you place your phone on top of the table, your phone rests there. It is the same for us, where He places us is essentially where we have come to rest. Rest is staying where you’ve been placed. You have been placed in the hollow of His hands, kept safe and secure. We often worry ourselves into a fit, wondering if we are supposed to go here, do that, be this, say that other thing or not. Whether you do all or nothing of those remains useless if you are not positioned in His rest. Find yourself at His feet, and rest your heart on His gentle mercy. 

You can rest and work at the same time. To rest is to stay where He positions you, so rest where you’re positioned, still effective in every good work.  Don’t fret, jumping from one activity to another. When we rest we remain effective because we do what is in front of is to do exactly where we are, busy with what we were meant to do at that time in that spot. Just be, and rest.

Pray with me, “Father, I trust you with my heart. You are still my One thing. Please lead me in quiet trust, today. I yield my heart to you, I place my trust in you, I rest my mind on your goodness. Lead me beside quiet waters today, as I abide in the green pastures of Your unrelenting peace.”

Let Go

Read with me, Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.” 1 Corinthians 13:4-6

This week I was constantly bombarded by an awareness of the need for more love in our lives. We are presented with opportunities to raise our voices, daily. Every day I have many moments where I have to choose if I will let go or fight.  I am challenged to love those around me while they behave poorly, and more often than not their misbehaving is merely a projected verdict from my skewed perspectives. When I feel overwhelmed by disappointment, let down by someone’s failure of follow through, it so very easy to make it about me and wear their failures as brand of hurt on my heart. Let me just say, Love wins. Every time. Love makes losing worth it, too. The thing is, loving someone can often require me to give up my right to be right, even to have an opinion. God gave us each a voice and a message, but with a pertinent reminder to always use speech accompanied by Grace.

 Many times, I have found myself at a crossroads between raising my opinion about something I am bothered by, and staying quiet. More often than not, not saying anything introduces the idea that I have let the other person win. Allowing someone to believe untruths about you without you having to correct the narrative, letting them have the last say, and keeping your peace are all very hard demands on our emotions. Yet they are the demands of loving another. Love requires me to lay down my life, even. What then is an opinion? If my spouse does something I feel is wrong, I have to remind myself that he owes me nothing. I do, however, owe him Godly love. Love is patient. Love does not raise its voice, it does not demand to be heard, it seeks not its own way. If it is in my power to stay quiet and work with my own hands, I pray God will give the opportunity to demonstrate His love to those around me as I occupy myself with His heart.

Is having an opinion wrong? No! Is voicing your needs wrong? No! But if we are sacrificing connection at the altar of perfection we have missed the mark. The aim is to love people, the goal to understand. Love is patient and kind, it keeps no record of wrong, and is not self-seeking. If my incessant need to be heard is at the cost of your peace and well-being, I have failed to love you well.  Taking the challenge to let it go renders me irrelevant. This is the scariest threat to the flesh. I have often engaged someone in conflict because it keeps my need relevant and my wants current. If correcting someone else is for my benefit, I have not loved, but promoted my own wants and perspectives.

It is hard to at times acknowledge that people are allowed to be themselves, that they should be allowed to live their lives without my opinion on the method. People are allowed to be. Love covers.  Let go, and love someone.

Speak Life

Think of the Son sitting with the Father today, and imagine the conversation they are having about you. Christ sits at the right hand, the Father well pleased with Him and us. Just as He intercedes for us, and speaks redemption on our behalf, so the Spirit testifies of Christ’s finished work in our hearts, allowing for us to prophecy redemptive and edifying words over others.

Prophecy is a throne room conversation. Prophecy is not some excuse for misguided mud flinging. Prophecy is not my opportunity to correct what I deem inferior behaviour in someone. Prophecy is not dirt extraction, it is calling out true worth and value. Prophecy edifies, uplifts, brings life and forgiveness, covers and sustains.


Throughout the Old Testament, as God sent His prophets, He would initiate with words such as “tell them I alone am Holy,” and often He would remind them that they are His children, subsequently sending His prophet to His people with a message that He is God and has a heart’s desire longing for His children to draw close. It is the same today, prophecy’s goal is ultimately to reveal God. It was then, and is still a love
transaction from God’s heart to yours. Prophecy is Him tugging on your heart strings, initiating connection.


Under a new covenant, He reminds us to still pursue and desire the gifts. In 1 Corinthians 12: 31 we read, “But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way,” where we are reminded that Christ has provided a new and better way to operate. This is the end of chapter 12, which is then followed directly by the famous LOVE passage -“If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away.” The new and better way is to love. We can prophecy, we can pray, we can heal, we can give, but it means nothing if we cannot love people. Love does not insist on having it’s own way.  If I minister in love, I am essentially giving you what you need, not what I think you need. Love exceeds all.

1 Corinthians 14 is a passage commonly used to support sin centered prophecy, advocating for the exposing of hearts. Lets read it, “But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or outsider enters, he is convicted by all, he is called to account by all, the secrets of his heart are disclosed, and so, falling on his face, he will worship God and declare that God is really among you.” Did you notice the sinner on his face recognised God as the people prophesied. Again, God was revealed in prophecy.  Prophecy ultimately displayed the reality of God among His people! Imagine speaking words that demonstrates a living God to the listeners. We point to God, we exhort to righteousness, we remind of holiness, we call up higher.  We build up people, while we tear down only arguments. Hold each other up to the standard of the truth of Christ. He is love. You are loved. Speak as if you believe in the value Christ bought another for. Speak as if you believe.

How would bones come alive if life was not prophesied. How would Jesus rise from the dead if resurrection was not spoken before the foundation of the world.  Do you believe? See the value in yourself. See the worth of others. Do not join the accuser in speaking lies over yourself and others. Speak what is true, speak Christ life. Speak only that which edifies and is full of grace.

Judge or Jury

Colossians 3 implicitly calls us to not lie to each other. I’m not referring to the kind of lying where I say something untrue and purposefully deceive someone. I am referring to the way I speak to others, the vernacular I employ that is essentially opposed to the beliefs I hold. I am referring to the things I say when I am trying to convince people of something, essentially giving them an opinion. If what I am saying does not measure up the standard of His truth, I am speaking untruths, in essence also proclaiming lies over others. Verse 13 comes in from left field, alleviating my need to be right and says,Bear with one another if you have a complaint against each other.

When I hammer on people’s wrongs, I draw attention to them as people, to the flesh, and to sin.  I have to keep the focus on Christ. My message needs to be Christ centred. When confronted by an opportunity to minister to someone, I cannot regard that person according to the flesh (2 Cor 5:16-17).  I cannot base my message on what I see. Is the person covered in tattoos and piercings, homosexual, high on drugs, smoking, drunk, suffering from an obvious eating disorder, behaving badly, or insert here whatever you feel qualifies as sin? Then give them Jesus. We have to be careful to misconstrue truth with opinion. It is easy to feel as if we gave people the gospel by pointing out sin, but for many sin is subjective, what you struggle with might not be a struggle for that person. You are not here to give your opinion on their behaviour; you are here to bring truth.

What is truth?  Jesus is the Son of God, He died for our sins, we now have the amazing opportunity to live free from the burden that our fleshly desires put on us, we get to enjoy life in Christ without the shame of regrets and the shackles of addictions, because He is the one who took all of it on Himself for us. I do not need to make sin look bad in order for you to realise God is good. He is good. The depravity of my flesh cannot ever add to His glorious radiance. He is glorious by Himself.  We never have to compare Him to us in order for Him to shine. He is light, He is glory, He is love.

We do not approach people according to the flesh; we regard them as Christ would – accepted and loved. We cannot act as a jury and do mental and behavioural analytics on people in order to determine their worth. The degree of sin they might have or had has no bearing on the degree of redemption. He works perfectly, focus on the finished work of the Cross.  Don’t promote sin by discussing it; shed light by bringing Christ into it. He is light that drives out darkness, it is His goodness that leads to repentance, not realisation of our badness. If we can expose people to the nature of Christ, His light will illuminate their true value.

Just love people. Give them Jesus. Eyes on the Prize, keep them set, and focus on Him.

Love Well and Be Well

So here’s a challenge for this week- love people.

A while ago a friend gave me a cutting of a beautiful plant from her garden. I planted it in my own, tended it, and waited. After a few weeks the small cutting had grown so much, I was able to propagate pieces in smaller containers to give as gifts to friends and family. One small cutting, with the right care and attention, has provided something of beauty to others.  From a gift given to one, many have also received.

It is imperative we nurture what is life giving. It is so important to tend to the things in us that are alive and growing. In order to be able to give love to others, we have to tend the gardens of our own hearts. We need to weed, water, and shine some light on the innermost parts of us that are struggling. We need to love ourselves enough to get healed. Love your neighbour, as yourself. Love. Tend to your heart. Sit by Him this week, and pray this sincere prayer, “Search me God, know me. Show me what inside me need healing.” Allow His word to wash you. Lean into the guidance of The Holy Spirit as He singles out emotions and tendencies that are inconsistent with truth. With Him are the words of life. Love Him, and be loved by Him.

Loving Jesus is the first and foremost important step in loving well.  Just sit with Him, and love on Him. Often times healing is realised when we pick up our own sick beds and walk away, when we take responsibility and no longer linger on the floor of despondency.

What are you propagating? Lying down, waiting for healing postures us for an ineffective life. If you are haunted by the shame of past regrets, today I want to tell you – YOU ARE SO LOVED. The Father is ever beckoning you closer. Get up, and walk.

ARISE [from the depression and prostration in which circumstances have kept you–rise to a new life]! Shine (be radiant with the glory of the Lord), for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you! Isaiah 60:1


Healing is in Him. Find Him, find life. Though pain is inevitable, you do not have to suffer; suffering is optional. When we heal, we love better. When we heal, we propagate love. Accepting the free Gift of Christ capacitates you to heal, and to cultivate love in order to give freely of what you have received.

Righteousness Is A Person

Read with me, “For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit.” Romans 8:5

It is not what you do that makes you more righteous. Righteousness is a person. Can your actions diminish the value of Christ? No. We use Him as the measure of worth, the standard for approval, the metric for performance. The good news is this, you are loved and accepted.

The idea that we can add or subtract from our own worth by adhering to rules more stringently is a misinformed notion. Activity does not change us. Nothing you do or don’t do makes you better. He makes you. He makes you better. He makes you something. We have to remember that hammering on behaviour takes the focus off of Him and places it on people – imperfect people. He is the author and finisher of my faith. I get to lean into His love, accept His reality, and rest in His goodness. A life of Godliness will flow from the time spent at His feet, because Salvation is an inside out transformation. Change is initiated inside us, by His goodness and love. A life of surrender follows.

He changes us. Grace changes us. His goodness leads us to repentance. It is not of ourselves (Ephesian 2) it is a gift in essence, so that we remain unable to boast in anything but Him. We have to keep our eyes on Him. Especially when it comes to other people. When you find yourself  confronted with something you feel they might be doing wrong, keep your eyes on Him. Understand that if someone is saved and have the Spirit, you do not need to evangelize them. He is near to those who call him. If they call on Him, He will be near, regardless of how deserving we might think they are. We have to always bear in mind that our theology and works are not perfect, it is grossly unfair to expect others to adhere to a set of rules an limited understanding of Scriptures we possess in our own hearts and consciences have dictates to us to maintain.

I want to emphasise something controversial today, the shortcomings you see in others’ faith lives are insignificant, and very irrelevant to your Salvation. They are shadows, merely. They cannot dim His bright light. Do not allow them to distract you, or detract from the worth inherent in your brother.  We feel worthy and deserving based on how well we behave. And from that perspective, we project our feelings of worthlessness onto others, and deem them unworthy based on what we discern to be inferior behaviour. Accusing people is the characteristic associated with the enemy, he is the accuser. Do not let your heart associate with behaviour unbecoming of love. Let the meditation in your heart, when you think of someone else, be acceptable to Him.

Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: and be ye kind one to another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you. Ephesians 4:29, 31-32

Act according to His truth which says you are saved, loved and accepted. He is not far. He does not need convincing to choose you, He already loved you first. Love others, just choose Him, and choose them. Be kind. Be just, walk humbly, love mercy. He chose them, also. You get to enjoy seeing them alive, you get the amazing privilege of loving them, barring opinions.

He Does Differently

Read with me, “Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.” 1 Corinthians 1:25

The voice of truth will always tell you a story that challenges your preconceived ideas. This is usually uncomfortable. When the Holy Spirit sets a standard against the attacks of lies on our lives, our flesh tends to rebel. It is uncomfortable for the carnal mind to be challenged, once we have become set in a way of thinking, our emotions find a comfort in the default, even if the default response is not a healthy or beneficial one. It is in the comfort of routine response that we settle into a false sense of knowing. The carnal mind becomes appeased by having its own way.

The way to change an approach of self-gratification is to humble ourselves. When we allow Him time to speak, listen, pay attention and heed His voice, we start seeing how enslaved we are to our own desires and wants. It is common for Him to unction a laying down of self. If you want to become more, first become less. If you want to accomplish more, rest more often. If you desire to reach thousands, first love the One.

We have to be so careful to not ascribe to God characteristics derived from our experiences. It is easy to inherently assume God feels a certain way about things because we ourselves are immutably convinced of a certain reality. To not lean on wisdom of man, to not make Him small in our eyes, when we believe the lie that He is unable. When we respond to people, instead of mercy. When we need others to look like us before we are able to serve. When we need the church to represent Him before we respond to the call. Don’t be so sure you will fail. Don’t be so convinced that you won’t make it. Don’t trust what your logic translates as impossible. Because He is the One who surprises. He does differently.

His call opposes logic, often. His instruction defies best laid strategies. He is the God who when there are multitudes calls on your five loaves and fish. He is the One who utilises opposite thinking, when you have been labouring all night, your hope about abandoned, His logic instructs one more try, but approach from a different angle. He is the Father that lays on you a robe and a ring after you squandered time and inheritance. He is the Man who walks on the water you fear. He is the One who does things differently. He is the God who turns tides and flips tables. In Him life pushes up from dust and dirt. He orchestrates dry bones to take on flesh and dance full of vigor, alive again. When you pray for deliverance, He sets your table, placing you at the head in front of your enemies. When He says you will enlarge territory, He first sends you home. He does differently.

Let go, of your ideas and opinions. Let be, others, and yourself. Lay down the swords of words, the scathing opinions, the meticulous score keeping. Let Him have the first say. Let Him be Sovereign in your heart. His words reign, His opinions are supreme, and His love superior to any and all our agendas. Let Love win, every time. Let love lead you to do differently.