Day 26: Ready for a {change} of heart?

For the word of God is alive and active.  Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.  Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight.  Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.  Hebrews 4:12-13 niv

How do you feel about a change of heart?  What does that mean?  Are you in a season in which you feel something needs to change?

I’m there.  And I was there before these 31 days began on October 1st.  My feeling has been for a number of years – our circumstances need to change.  We’ll be alright if we can just hold on until my suntanned feet man feels better… and he finds another opportunity in the next chapter of his career… and on and on…

Then one day when our circumstances will come back into alignment when the famine season is over, everything will be good again.  Then I’ll have the opportunity to leave my 9 to 5 and write and speak to women and minister and disciple.  When God changes our circumstances.  God, when are You going to change our circumstances?

{Change} be made different, transform, alter – take a different position or course or direction.

Is it just me or is there anyone else out there who might be reading along who feels sure all will be well in their lives if God would just hurry up and change their circumstances?  I’m confident I’m not the only one.  Most every heart conversation lately seems to follow a similar trail.  Women at work, discipleship knitted hearts, couples in our home group and neighbors – followers of Christ Jesus – wondering, “God, what are You doing?”

Interestingly, our circumstances haven’t changed.  As I’ve learned, more than once in my life, there’s really not much over which I have control, except myself.  If nothing else around me is changing and I want to live the abundant life and produce a harvest bushel of the fruits of the Spirit of God, the only other choice is to cry out, “Father, change me.”

As I pondered the idea of 31 days – gleaning in the book of Ruth I already knew I would be changed.  I’ve walked this journey with the Word became flesh long enough to know that I know if I spend 31 days soaking in His truth and open myself up to be taught by His Spirit, I will be changed – transformed – my thinking renewed – perspective changed.

God’s Word is Living.  He is Jesus, Conqueror of death.  God’s Word is Active.  Jesus is present in our circumstances.  God’s Word is Sharp.  Jesus, wielding a scalpel, removes what He sees in us which doesn’t belong as we yield to elective surgery.

I started out this journey thinking the reason for Naomi’s suffering, the loss of life and utter despair had to be the result of their wrong choice.  If only they had stayed in Bethlehem…  If only they had turned around and gone home…  If only – a thousand different “if only” wonderings for my own life.  I needed to know in this 31 days what Holy Spirit desired to teach me through my questions.

He is changing my perspective on my need to always get it right.  If God’s goodness and grace for Naomi was completely dependent on her making all the right choices then there would be no way to explain the marriage of Ruth (a foreigner coming under the protective wing of the Almighty God) to Boaz (a near kinsman redeemer) and the resultant lineage of generations leading to the birth of our Savior, Jesus, the Christ.

God is bigger than our twists and turns.  He is bigger than our wanderings.  God is greater than our circumstances.  He knows where we are and how long the impossible will last.  He sees the end from the beginning and He knows the way through and out.

And I wonder if my Father might be thinking the steps of my journey are making an interesting pattern as He weaves my story into the grand fabric of His creation.

What do you think?

Ponders:

The aim:  we are changed by the Word of God to be transformed daily into the image of Christ regardless of our circumstances.

The truth:  our circumstances expose the stuff in us which does not resemble our Lord.  It is the circumstances of life, the seemingly impossible, not budging no matter the force of my will, which causes me to surrender to the change my Lord wants to do in me.

• Is there a change of heart you are needing today?  Will you ask Holy Spirit to teach you through His living and active word?
• Will you write out the scriptures to which He leads you?  Will you make them your prayer for change – a transformed heart?
• Are you willing to choose elective surgery under the precision of Jesus’ scalpel today?  Let’s do this together.

Eyes on Jesus… you’re Shining!

~Lisa