“My defense is of God,who saves the upright in heart.”---Psalm 7:10(NCV)
“I would rather have eyes that cannot see; ears that cannot hear; lips
that cannot speak, than a heart that cannot love.”---Robert Tizon
OK, y'all know I'm an odd one. I'm cool with that. As a matter of fact,
I was talking to one of my spiritual sistahs about the fact that more
and more, I am starting to see life as an X-Men movie; as if some of us
are truly mutants in this world. But here's the thing: If you've never
checked out the series, it often took a crisis for the mutants to even
realize what their supernatural powers were. It may sound strange, but
this is why it's good to let God bring your friends (Proverbs 27:17),
your spiritual coverings, to you. This same sistah (thanks Tia), later
that same day, provided me with this scripture as a confirmation:
“All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did
not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them
from a distance. And they admitted that they were *aliens* and
*strangers* on earth. People who say such things show that they are
looking for a country of their own. If they had been thinking of the
country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return.
Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one.
Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has
prepared a city for them.”---Hebrews 11:13-16 (NIV)
Yet here's the thing: Although there are certain gifts that I know God
has given me (Romans 11:29), one I didn't realize I had, until
recently, was the ability to love. Not “love” in the way I like to do
it, but in the way he's called (Jeremiah 1:5) me to. Oh, please don't
think a sistah is “side-eye bragging”. Remember, to find out your
abilities, you usually have to be tested ("The Lord tests those who do
right...”-Psalm 11:5-NCV) and lately, these random series of tests
presented in the form of humans have been SOMETHING ELSE. However, this
message isn't so much about me and my journey. This is actually a word
of encouragement to the other “love mutants” out there.
There seems to be several people in my world right now with heart
issues. I have had some heart palpitations over the past couple of
months (been told I'm physically fine). A girlfriend of mine (younger
than I am) in optimum health, is going to see a cardiologist this week.
Another girlfriend of mine is on her way to see her mother due to her
chest pains. Just this morning, I told her, “I think it's spiritual
warfare.” And I do.
There's a lot to be said for what goes on in someone's heart. Although,
in the physical sense, it's the organ that keeps our blood circulating
throughout our bodies, the heart is also defined as the center of our
emotions: the place where sympathy, affection, spirit and courage are
housed. Some people even say it's the center core of who we are. When
you look at it that way, when you think about what we are called to do
on this earth (model Christ to those around us), it would make sense
that we would suffer from “heart attacks”, almost on a regular basis,
wouldn't it?
Just yesterday, after having somewhat of a weary (Galatians 6:9) day to
begin with, I sat down to watch a little television to distract myself
and I realized that the picture tube is starting to go out. For a
moment, I lost it. I can't get mad. I've had it since 1995. Oh, but the
sentiment attached to it? My late fiance' owned this television. We
used to watch “90210” (please, don't make fun of him) on this very set.
I didn't realize that until now, as I shared with some people
yesterday, that some 14 years later, I am still burying him in some
ways. That feeling was an attack on my heart.
Jeremiah 17:9 warns us that the heart is deceitful and that it's
deceitful above ALL things. Proverbs 12:25 tells us that anxiety (a
state of uneasiness and apprehension, as about future uncertainties) of
the heart causes depression. Lately, in the spirit realm, I realize
that when I start getting “emotional palpitations”, I have to get my
heart checked...immediately. Since my heart is the place where my
emotions and my spirit are held, I can't afford to “self-diagnose”
what's going on. If I do, I could trick myself into believing one thing
is going on when it could be something entirely different.
I didn't have an answer last night. Like David, I took on the mindset
of, “Examine me, O Lord, and prove me; try my mind and my heart.” (Proverbs 26:2-NKJV) and went to bed. This morning, I woke up with
Ecclesiastes 3:6, “There is a time to keep things and a time to throw
things away” in my heart space, followed by the Message Version of
Psalm 37:5-6, “Open up before God, keep nothing back; he'll do whatever
needs to be done: He'll validate your life in the clear light of day
and stamp you with approval at high noon.” And, to top it all off, this
assurance:
“Dear, dear Corinthians, I can't tell you how much I long for you to
enter this wide-open, spacious life. We didn't fence you in. The
smallness you feel comes from within you. Your lives aren't small, but
you're living them in a small way. I'm speaking as plainly as I can and
with great affection. Open up your lives. Live openly and
expansively!”---2 Corinthians 6:11-13 (Message)
The super-duper “ah ha!” moment? A lot of times, when people have a
heart attack in the natural, there is not enough oxygen getting to that
organ. Just yesterday, I read about how God breathed life into Adam
(Genesis 2:7). What I now realize is that when we feel that our hearts
are being attacked in the spirit realm, we need to OPEN UP AND LET MORE
OF GOD IN. As Paul wrote, the smallness that we feel comes from within
us. When you feel like, “If I get one more piece of news, I'm going to
die”, don't succumb to that. That is your heart deceiving you. Instead,
go on the “medication” that the Master Physician prescribes. Hold on to
scriptures like:
“I will bless the Lord who has given me counsel; my heart also instructs me in the night seasons.”---Psalm 16:7 (NKJV)
“The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the
commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.”---Psalm 19:8
(NKJV)
“Incline my heart to Your testimonies, and not to
covetousness.”---Psalm 119:36 (NKJV)/ “Also do not take to heart
everything people say, lest you hear your servant cursing
you.”---Ecclesiastes 7:21 (NKJV)
“Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my anxieties.”---Psalm 139:23 (NKJV)
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own
understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct
your paths.”---Proverbs 3:5-6 (NKJV)
The heart is a powerful thing. We can't survive without it. God knows
this. The Enemy does as well. When you start to feel attacks, it can be
tempting to close in, but don't run. Purpose in your mind to OPEN UP.
The Enemy knows what happens when we do. He doesn't like it not one bit:
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.”---Matthew 5:8 (NKJV)
And then what happens?:
“Therefore I will look to the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation; My God will hear me.”---Micah 7:7 (NKJV)
And when THAT happens:
“And this is the boldness we have in God's presence: that if we ask God
for anything that agrees with what he wants, he hears us. If we know he
hears us every time we ask him, we know we have what we ask from
him.”---I John 5:14-15 (NCV)
Whew! I don't know about you, but I'm feeling better already. MUCH
BETTER. I think my heart can make it another day and today is all I
have to be concerned with (Proverbs 27:1).
A proper diagnosis, indeed. Thank the Lord that he takes walk-ins...
Amen...and amen.
©Shellie R. Warren/2009
