Pour Out Your Heart

8 Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us.
– Psalm 62:8

Pour Out Your Heart
Have you ever heard the saying He wears his heart on his sleeve?  It is usually used to describe someone who is emotional and is quick to let his emotions take over.  Have you ever know anyone who hides their heart in a vault?  They never let on what they are feeling, and they tend to hold in all their emotions so as not to let on what they are feeling.  Not only is this unhealthy for the person, but it is unhealthy for everyone else around them when all the pressure of their pent-up emotions finally reach a boiling point!

When we go to God in prayer, He not only wants us to wear our hearts on our sleeves, but He wants us to fully expose it, and lay it completely open at His feet.  He wants us to trust Him and to be completely transparent about what we are feeling – even with the things we might feel are silly or insignificant.  He wants us to be completely vulnerable (naked if you will), so that nothing is hidden or held back, because we are totally exposed.  He already knows everything that's there anyway.  He just wants us to acknowledge Him as God – you know . . . the one who created every fiber of our being.  He wants to know, that we know, who He really is.

It's funny the things that we do sometimes.  There are times when I've been praying and found myself thinking, "I can't tell God that – it's too embarrassing!"  Isn't that just dumb?!  That would be like trying to hide an elephant behind my back!  Everyone would be able to see it no matter how hard I try to deny or hide it.  God knows ALL about us, even the things we try to hide or keep secret.  He knows our thoughts, He knows our dreams, He knows our hurts, and He knows our past, so we might as well give Him ALL that we are – the good, the bad, and the embarrassing!  But if we aren't willing to give Him our ALL, how can we expect HIm to show us ALL that He has for us?  I believe that God will use the degree of openness of our hearts to help us along the way, as our future turns into our present – the more we are open to Him, the more opportunities He will open up for us.

We need to understand that God is our refuge – our hiding place.  He is with us when we are all alone, and we are completely safe in His embrace.  But sometimes, (a lot of the times), we just totally ignore Him.  How that must hurt.  He opened up His arms wide, totally exposing himself to the world, and He overcame sin and death . . . for us, and we aren't even willing to share our hearts with Him.  

I know it's difficult for me to do, but I also know that if I want to realize my dreams, if I want to get where He wants me to go, if I want to experience All that He has planned for me, I need to expose all there is about me.  I need to let Him mold me, and take all of the disgusting, dirty, beautiful, awkward, excellent, demented, creative, embarrassing, and wonderful parts of me, and use them (because they are me), to expand His kingdom.  I have nothing to lose by having nothing to hide, and I have everything to gain by exposing everything to Him!

Prayer
Father, I want so badly to pour out my whole heart, everything I am to You but sometimes I am so ashamed.  Sometimes I forget that You know it all anyway, and I realize that my stubborn pride and shame is just blocking the blessings that You have in store for me.  Help me to be vulnerable.  Help me to trust and to let go of all my inhibitions.  Help me to come to You like a child, full of awe, and wonder, and pure delight.  Help me Lord to see, and know, and trust You as the God of ALL of me.

Have a blessed day everyone!

– Richard

The Heart Matters – Proverbs 4:20-23

20 My son, pay attention to what I say; listen closely to my words.   

21 Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart;

22 for they are life to those who find them and health to a man's whole body.

23 Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.

– Proverbs 4:20-23

The Heart Matters

The condition of our heart - the things that we hold most dear, will determine the course and the outcome of our lives.  What are you hiding in your heart? 

People see the heart as many different things, depending on how they view the world.  To a doctor or scientist, the heart is an organ; to a romantic, the heart is what controls love; if you are a poet, the heart can be a central theme to all emotion;  if you are a pessimist, the heart brings pain and disappointment as it will only be broken over and over again. 

But if you are a Christian, the heart is the only thing in this world (spiritually speaking) that we have complete control over.   The scripture today  tells us that we have the power to keep the Word of God within our hearts.  It goes on to say that above ALL else, we are to guard our heart because it is the wellspring of life.   What life is it referring to?  It is speaking of the abundance of life in Jesus – a life filled with the grace, forgiveness, and the power of God.  A life filled with peace and joy – a life of faith that will bring about change in this world.  It is talking about your life and my life.

So how do we guard our heart?  How do we take control and tap into that wellspring of life?  It all starts with God's Word and how it is applied in your life.  Do you believe God's Word?  Really?  All of it?  Are you sure?  How much time are you devoting to it?  Is it collecting more dust than fingerprints?  It ALL starts with God's Word so if we don't absorb it every day; if we don't meditate on it throughout our day; if we don't apply it with every beat of our heart, then it is going to be difficult to tap into that wellspring.

God has given us a list – a road map if you will, to that wellspring of life.

1. Pay attention

2. Listen closely

3. Don't let it out of your sight

4. Keep it within your heart

5. Guard your heart

I find it interesting that He says we are to "listen closely" and then He tells us to not let what we just listened to "out of our sight."  To me that means that we are to LISTEN to what God is trying to tells us by READING His Word – not by listening to what someone else has learned or is trying to teach us.  Don't get me wrong, I love to listen to good preaching.  I love to gather nuggets of wisdom that God has given to someone else – I have learned so much that way and it has brought me closer to God.  But God wants to speak to us directly.  He wants to whisper the things that are only meant for us – like a father with a son or daughter sitting on his lap;  the father leans in and whispers something to the child which makes their eyes light up, and a big smile crosses their face.  In turn, the father's eyes light up and both he and the child share a special moment – a time of bonding and relationship.  THAT'S what God wants to do with each one of us. 

He wants you leaning in close so He can share the secrets of your life – the very thing that taps into your wellspring so that YOU can bond with HIM and deepen your relationship.  THAT's how you can begin to guard your heart.  Let God speak to you directly through the reading of His Word.  Ask Him to reveal those gems of knowledge that will bring life to your tired soul; healing to your ailing body; peace to your troubled mind.  It's an active thing and it requires discipline at first – but in a short time you will desire more and more of the refreshing water that comes from the deep wellspring of His Words of Life.  You won't be able to get enough of God's Word – you will thirst for it, and you will be more than satisfied as you dig in and discover your very own wellspring, designed especially for you by God, who loves you so much!

Prayer

Father I thank You for giving Your Word to us.  I know that there have been far too many times when I have taken It for granted and I let my Bible sit on a shelf, unopened and unused.  How foolish I have been!  Your very Word Refreshes my heart, and I will actively and fiercely guard it so that I can tap into the life that You have designed for me.  I thank You for speaking directly to me and giving me the wisdom I need to navigate through my day.  Lord, I pray for my brothers and sisters who might be struggling with reading Your Word.  Help them to see that Your Word holds the key to an abundant life . . . in You.

Have a blessed day everyone!

– Richard