Friday, February 8, 2013

With all my Heart


Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.
                                                                       Proverbs 3:5-6

Wholehearted.

That's the word I chose to be my focus for the year 2013.  I felt as if too many of my efforts had become half-hearted.

I want to live fully committed and greet each day with gratitude and hope.

In my own strength that is impossible.  My flesh fails again and again and I become disheartened and discouraged.

My strength must come from abiding in the vine and living through the power of the Holy Spirit.

If I know this, then why can't I remember to live it out?

The distractions of the world lure me away from the truth and I fall victim to the lies. . .

     -lies that I can do it myself

     -lies that I have to be perfect

     -lies that I have to win others' approval

     -lies that I will never be good enough

     -lies that things should be easy

The lies can only be defeated by trusting in the truth of God's Word - with all my heart.

I may not always understand.
He tells me not to lean on my own understanding.

He alone is sufficient and I can trust Him - with all my heart.

It may not be easy.
I will have to cling to the promises in faith even when my thoughts and feelings rebel.

But I will not lose hope.
He has promised He will never leave me or forsake me.

He has told me to trust Him - with all my heart.
And with His grace, I will.


   

5 comments:

  1. Wholehearted! I love that and I can totally relate to being half-hearted in many things thinking I was "doing" alot and maximizing life this way but I've learned that I wasn't pleasing God this way and really I was making myself miserable. Thanks for your post and God be with you!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks for coming by my blog and leaving kind words! I love your word for 2013, wholehearted. As I was reading your post, I was struck by all the words we use that have "heart" in them. Half-hearted, disheartened, wholehearted. So much of what we're meant for in this life, it really does involve the heart. I have a suspicion that God's going to do amazing things this year in your pursuit of the wholehearted life.

    I am also struck by the fact that several of the posts I've read this week on Trust have talked about the lies we believe that keep us from trusting. I'm pondering this for now and trying to sort out what God's teaching me here.

    And this is the line I can't get out of my head: "I may not always understand.
    He tells me not to lean on my own understanding." I have never heard it put this way and it speaks deeply to where I'm at this week. Thank you for sharing your heart here. Much grace to you in your journey with Him.

    ReplyDelete
  3. So glad this spoke to you. I had to keep repeating it to myself yesterday over and over when I was struggling to defeat the enemy's lies - lies that I didn't deserve to live and was only a burden to my husband and family. Those times are so hard and I'm so grateful that God always has the victory. His Word has truly saved my life. Blessings to you.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Wholehearted...a wonderful word for 2013! I pray God blesses you as you walk through your word this year.

    ReplyDelete
  5. When you feel that no one is listening, please understand that many are out there NOT leaving comments. Say what God asks you to say, and be bold. Don't worry if you feel negative, forget feelings, just promote with positive words and go forth.

    ReplyDelete