ISSUES OF THE HEART

There are times in life when you will feel disappointed, discouraged, dismayed, maybe lost, and even forgotten. But I want you to know that no matter what you are feeling today, God can take those despairing moments in your life and turn them into victory. He can transform your discouraged heart into one that feels uplifted and encouraged. God can take our negative emotions and turn them into joy.

Nehemiah 8:10 reminds us, “Do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” We all go through difficult emotions at times in our lives, but it is important to remember that we do not have to remain in those feelings. God is the lifter of our heads.

It is not that we ignore these emotions, because they are real, but we must recognize that we have an Advocate and Counselor whose name is Jesus. Have you ever heard people say, “I got up on the wrong side of the bed”? What this statement tells me is that they focused on something negative all night long. What we think about can determine how we start our day. Our mindset has a lot to do with how we feel.

Just for a moment, think about what you are thinking right now and notice how it affects your emotions. What we think controls how we behave and how we react to situations. It is important that we monitor what enters and leaves our minds daily. If we do not rein in negative thoughts, they can lead us down a negative path.

Philippians 2:5 says, “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.” We are called to take on the mind of Christ.

In Philippians 4:8, the Word of God encourages us: “Finally, believers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable and worthy of respect, whatever is right and confirmed by God’s Word, whatever is pure and wholesome, whatever is lovely and brings peace, whatever is admirable and of good repute-if there is any excellence and anything worthy of praise-think continually on these things.

It is important to pay attention to what we are thinking about because our thoughts influence how we feel in our hearts.

God knows how you are feeling today. He is willing to fix your situation, no matter what it is. Remember, you are never alone. God promised that He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not allow the issues of your heart to control your life. Change the way you think, and it will change the way you feel. When you change your thinking, you will begin to experience joy, peace, love, and renewed hope. Let the mind of Christ live in you and watch your life change. Trust God.

Be encouraged and God will certainly see you through.