Over the past two weeks or so, God has really been speaking to my heart during my devotional time in the mornings. I have been reading Psalms. I find Psalms to be so comforting and encouraging when I am going through difficult times. Lately I have been immersing myself in them!! I love to just soak in His Word!! While reading through the Psalms God has been directing me to a certain phrase. It is almost like it is in Bold Red Letters, but it really isn't.
The phrase is, "With my Whole Heart". I have found it in Psalm 119:69, and Psalm 119:34. It is in other places as well. God has really been speaking to me about this term. In Jeremiah 29:11-13, God says that we will find Him when we search with "all of our heart".
God wants all of our hearts. He doesn't just want the good parts, or the parts that we want to share with Him, He wants the whole thing. Just looking at this phrase you might be thinking, "Duh, I already do that", but do you? As I thought about the phrase and what it means, it really made me examine my life. Of course I love God with all of my heart, but do I give all of my heart to Him at all times. Do I worship Him with all of my heart, or do I hold back that part that hurts?
I will be completely honest here, I like most of you, know what it is to hurt. I know how it feels for your heart to hurt so bad that you don't even know how you are going to take the next breath, let alone give praise. I know how it feels to feel forgotten and betrayed by those who you thought were your friends. I know how it feels to have your entire life turned upside down in mere moments, and I know how it feels to loose something that is so very precious to you, but PRAISE GOD I know the one who can heal those hurts!!
I know that for me, it feels natural to turn away, to protect that part that hurts to bad to even acknowledge sometimes. However, as God has been showing me over the past few weeks, that is not what he wants us to do. We can not praise Him, or even give Him our whole heart, if we are protecting a part of it. in order to give Him our whole heart, we have to be totally transparent with Him. He already knows what we are going through, but we have to be willing to let Him in.
It makes me think of my children when we are getting ready for church on Sundays. I want them to wear their "good clothes", you know the pants that do not have holes, and that are not two inches too short. I am pretty sure I am not alone here, right?? Why am I, or are we, so concerned with how our children look when we go to church? Could it be that we are worried about what others might think or say about us?
Well, guess what, God wants our imperfections. He wants our dirty secrets and torn hearts. He wants all of us, he doesn't want just our "Sunday Best", he wants our "real life" hearts. He wants us to turn to Him when we are hurting, when we are grieving, when we feel lost, and when we feel empty. He wants us to open our hearts and praise Him with our whole hearts, He wants us to give all that we have and all that we are going through to Him. He wants our praise even when we don't have the strength to speak. When there are no words, He deserves our praise. When there are only tears left, He deserves our praise.
What does praise look like when you are speechless? It can be as simple as an open heart and lifted hands. What do you praise Him for when you are devastated? Praise Him for His love. Praise Him for His sacrifice. Praise Him for getting you through the last five minutes. Just praise Him, when you open your heart to God, He will speak to you.
It is so comforting to read Jeremiah 29:12-13, "Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all of your heart." (NKJV).
