One of the most amazing things has been happening in my life recently. Someone I love beyond words has been learning and growing faster than I can believe. I’m constantly saying “Who ARE you??” God is sooo good. This is a testimony to the fact that I’m not in charge of timing…or ANYONE else’s destiny. Only God can change people. I truly know this to be true. So, as I read this today (this amazing encouraging/truthful note below that he wrote to someone else) – I wanted to share it here. Not sure who this is for, but God does.
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Life is a battle for the heart — if you own a strong heart you can live the life you want to live. Most people have it backwards — they think life is all about a battle for the mind.
I feel there are three steps to get the heart in the right condition-
1) Right relationship with God —
I am on this journey and some of the tools that are helping me are books and podcasts that keep me investigating what I truly believe. You can not get here with out doing the work–I have tried. Reading, seeking, asking etc…I never used to do it — now I do and it has changed things. I have also weeded out anything that impedes my journey, no need to fill the mind with useless crap from useless sources.2) Right relationship with Self —
I think this is about self-identity. A key is finding self identity in what God thinks of you–he created us for his purpose so that should throw some weight on our thoughts on identity.The problem with this is that it requires truly freeing ourselves from finding indentity in how the world or people we encounter shape our self identity.
This thought might help you in your battle with guilt. What God thinks of you is what matters–he knows your heart and battles. Don’t focus so much on trying to right issues of the past or dwelling in what others think about thoughts you have authored or actions you have taken.
3) Right relationship with Others —
If you are still reading at this point, this is where it gets hard because this requires dealing with pride and self importance. Trying to do this the right way requires step 1 and 2 to be in motion otherwise this step will be a recurring cycle of insincere apologies or self justification. On the flip side–if step 1 and 2 are in motion step 3 becomes a natural progression and much easier because it is from the heart and sincere.
Where is your heart?
I saw this at its original source and tried to post the comment there, but it bounced back.
It’s all about the heart. It has been said that “What the heart desires, the will chooses and the mind justifies.” In our church, right before communion, we pray this prayer (originally penned by Thomas Cranmer in 1549) “Almighty God, unto whom all hearts are open, all desires known and from whom no secrets are hid, cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of thy Holy Spirit, that we might perfectly love thee and worthily magnify thy holy name, through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
Cranmer deeply understood that it is a changed heart that makes us new creatures in Him.