“The created heart is never your enemy, but instead is like a building that holds the contents of the real you formed at conception — your authentic and individual self. Your heart comes alive when you are doing what you were created to do . . .”- Christa Black Gifford
Christa Black Gifford concludes Chapter 2 of Heart Made Whole as she describes one of the most important things you can do. Ms. Gifford finds it critical that you connect deeply with your inner world – a heart wellness check. In addition, it’s especially important when your heart is broken. Thus, Christa connects this heart wellness check to God’s ultimate plan for you. The author notes:
“God’s ultimate plan for you isn’t simply to hold your hand while you survive the punches of life. He never intended your heart to fragment, tatter, and remain broken. He wants you to be so aware of your heart that you hand it over to Him to clean it up, mature it, and make it whole while you walk with Him.”
Next, Ms. Gifford describes the role of grace in this process. Grace:
- is the most powerful gift we’ll ever possess
- keeps us in right standing before God, even as we fail miserably
- empowers us to let the Father evict our pain monsters
- acknowledges maturity as a relational process, not a destination called perfection
- fills our hearts with Jesus’ resurrection power
- makes wholeness a possibility while we live as mortals
In conclusion, Christa exhorts, if you want your life to transform, you must allow you heart to transform. Furthermore, through the lens of the Holy Spirit, start paying close attention to your heart. Don’t ignore building your heart while life continues to smash it up. For God designed your heart to:
- flourish in surrender
- cleanse with salvation
- rebuild through grace
- be occupied by love
Today’s question: What Bible verses help you rebuild your created heart? Please share.
Tomorrow’s blog: the latest addition to Crown’s Annotated Bibliography – Finding Favor: God’s Blessings Beyond Health, Wealth, and Happiness
