He Will Strengthen Your Heart

“I wish I could just crawl into a hole and pull it in behind me.”

Staring into a bottomless pit, numb, wrung out, heartsick and hopeless; these are all words that describe someone who has lost heart.  Losing heart is not something reserved just for those who experience traumatic events such as the death of a child or a divorce.  It can happen to anyone at any time for any reason.  For me, it comes most often with seasonal changes that impact my emotions.  For you it might be the result of a bad choice with your words or regrets in your parenting. 

I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. 

Wait on the LORD; Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; 

Wait, I say, on the LORD!  Psalm 27:13,14

Whatever the reason for your heart sickness, there is but one cure.  Only One can strengthen your heart and give the courage needed to push through or wait it out.  Faith in the Lord and His goodness, regardless of your circumstances or feelings, can give the hope and the courage you need.  

One thing I have desired of the LORD,That will I seek: That I may dwell in the house of the LORD All the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in His temple. For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion; in the secret place of His tabernacle He shall hide me; He shall set me high upon a rock. Psalm 27:4,5

In the presence of the Lord you can find refuge and that secret place in which you long to hide away.  While in His presence you will be nurtured, refreshed, and restored!  Seek Him each day and when the dark, heart sick times come there will be shelter and encouragement in His secret place.  His Word will be hidden within your heart, reminding you of the truth you may not feel in the midst of pain, hurt, loss or depression.  

Regardless of our feelings or circumstances, the Lord's Word and His character never change; they are always faithful and true.  Do not lose heart - believe that you will see the goodness of God!  Wait on Him, have courage, allow Him to strengthen your heart.

Prayer:

Lord, You are constant, never wavering in Your faithfulness.  Please help me to cling to You when it seems I am sliding in a downward spiral of confusion, pain, fear, etc.  You promise to strengthen my heart.  Let me rest in You and be a testimony of Your joy in every circumstance.  Amen.

Challenge:

Copy Psalm 13 and commit it to memory.  When you feel the darkness closing in, pray the beautiful words and allow His peace to fill you.

Suggested reading for those dealing with depression: http://pmcrawford.blogspot.com/2012/01/quiet-time-reflections_09.html?spref=fb

Jen G. 2012

Peace: Perfect, Complete, Full

The Lord will give strength to His people; the Lord will bless His people with shalom. Psalm 29:11

This has been a year of change for my husband and me; some could use the word “upheaval” and not be too far off. My beloved was laid-off, which started a series of events that included a financial re-evaluation of life, a move to another state, and a year-long search for a permanent job. In the midst of this, two close family members have struggled with serious health crises, as well.

So as we begin this season of Advent, my heart has been seeking the Lord’s word about peace. There are many reasons to not feel “peace,” as our culture defines it. Too many presents to purchase and wrap (and not enough money to buy them), too many cookies to bake (and not enough time to walk off the ones I eat), too many people’s problems to pray for (and not enough energy to stay awake to pray), and too many worries in this life (and not enough thankfulness for everything He sends my way).

In our new church, my husband and I are taking a Hebrew language class. One of my favorite words in the language is shalom, which was translated peace in English. Our culture’s definition for peace is not exactly what the Lord had in mind, though. Shalom is not absence of troubles, for in this world, Jesus said, we will have troubles. Shalom is not the absence of strong emotions, for Jesus displayed strong emotions many times. In our study of Hebrew, shalom comes from the root shin-lamed-mem (Hebrew letters), which means “complete, perfect, full.” God on High sent His precious Son, Y’shua – our Sar Shalom (Prince of Peace) – to make us complete through salvation, perfect through His blood, and full of His Presence so that we can give ourselves away for others.

As we enter into this busy season filled with things that don’t always look or feel “peaceful,” we can be filled with true peace, the shalom that is given by the Prince of Shalom.

Prayer:

Abba, thank You for Your peace, the true peace of knowing Your salvation, of being perfect before You in Jesus, and of being filled with Your Presence. When my anxious thoughts multiply within me, help me to fix my mind on how You have brought true peace to my life. Please help me share Your peace with all those You bring across my path this Christmas.

Challenge:

Look up some of these verses from the Psalms and think about God’s definition of peace. When things get busy and you cry out for a “Calgon moment” (for those who remember what I am talking about!), reflect on how He has given you true peace already through your relationship with Him. Meditating on that thought will bring rest to your heart while you are wrapping up that one last plate of cookies for the neighbors... Psalm 4:8, Psalm 29:11, Psalm 34:14 (also in I Peter 3:11), Psalm 55:18-19, Psalm 85:8-9, Psalm 119:165

Advent – Week Two:Theme: Bethlehem (Peace)

Scriptures: Sun. Is. 11:1-10, Mon. Zech. 6:12-13, Tue. Mic. 5:2-4, Wed. Mal. 3:1-6, Thu. John 1:1-8, Fri. John 1:9-18, Sat. Mark 1:1-3 (You can limit your readings to one day if you that works better for your family.)

MrsB : ) 2010  Psalm 122:6-9