A Change of Heart
Are you feeling as if all hope for your life is gone? We have mentors that will respond to you and help you.
Join us for our Daily Devotional Chat today in our Women’s Chatroom at 10:30am EST.
We were relaxing with a warm cup of tea in hand, thinking out loud together about how 2009 could be different. What would make the biggest change within us that could possibly affect everything? What could have the biggest ripple effect in our lives? We came up with three choices to bring change to our hearts.
First – Choose to trust God with all of our hearts.
Proverbs 3:5,6 “Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek His will in all you do, and He will show you which path to take (NLT).” Along with you, we both have things in our lives that do not make sense. There are unanswered prayers, situations that are unsolved, mysteries about how the Lord is working. We both agreed that we need to trust Him with the things that make no sense, asking Him to direct us and lean on Him, not our own understanding or perception of things.
Second – Choose to be thankful.
I have a tendency to see the glass half full or even empty sometimes! There is much to be thankful for and gratefulness can change our whole outlook on life. We talked about how we often see our problems as bigger than God – almost like if the problems are blocking our sight of Him. We need to focus on the Lord in the foreground and our problems in the background in light of Him and His grace, truth, power, strength, wisdom, ability etc. We talked about how thankfulness in our hearts will change the way we see life.
Third – Choose to worship the Lord.
Hebrews 13:15, “Therefore, let us offer through Jesus a continual sacrifice of praise to God, proclaiming our allegiance to His name (NLT).” The Lord inhabits the praises of His people. When we give Him our worship, our hearts begin to change from the inside out. He is worthy, at all times, whether or not we “feel” like giving Him our praise. Our choice to worship will change us.
Ephesians 5:18-20 sums it up, “Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves and making music to the Lord in your hearts. And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ (NLT).”
Lord, so often I ask you to change my circumstances. Please change my heart. Please help me to choose to trust You beyond my own understanding, to be thankful from the depths of my being and to give You all of my worship and praise. May 2009 be filled with awe as I am sensitive to Your Spirit and learn to trust You more from a grateful and worshipful heart. Love, your daughter.
Questions: What would be the biggest change that you could make in your daily walk that would have a lasting effect for God’s Kingdom? Can you still be thankful even when faced with troubling circumstances? How?
About the Author Donna-Mitchell
Tags: circumstances, heart, power, problems, strength, thankful, trust, unanswered prayers, unsolved, wisdom, worship
16 Responses to “A Change of Heart”
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strength in numbers Linda, God gave us burdens, also shoulders.
kanj thank you for sharing that quote and especially the scripture, How true that is. I too have to agree with you that being a part of this site and the fellowship and support we get and give one another is just so Wonderful and I for one know that in the past almost 1 1/2 yrs it has really changed my life and drawn me closer to The Lord. I will be praying for you and your daughter as she goes off to college I know that, that is not an easy thing to do as I also have two sons and it is hard to let go. May God Continue To Use You For His Glory! Hugs, Linda!!!
linda r., what I find most rewarding in being a part of this site is the fellowship, in knowing that amazingly I am not alone. i feel very comfortable here and all you ladies are the extended family I have come to know and care much about. God is life-giving power to everyone and it’s in times of trials that we find the inner strength, His strength coming through. i can’t even wrap my head around the thought of my 20 year old daughter not being a part of my life so therefore although i feel your loss as a mother, i can’t fathom losing a child. i have not walked in your shoes(so to speak). you are strong and it’s strength such as your’s that inspire people like me to go through the battlefield when I approach it and not run from it. may I share a quote from a devotional i just read jan. 7. it reads: quote:”at the most difficult times in my life–the loss of a child, God’s Word has sustained me. There have been times when I have only been capable of reading a few verses at a time, yet the supernatural life-giving power of the Word of God has not only helped me maintain my emotional and mental balance, it has given me strength to go on, even if only one day at a time.”unquote-author, Anne Graham Lotz . the scripture that followed gave me(kanj) much comfort. ”Your word has given me life.”-Psalm 119:50 NKJV
God bless you linda
Kanj you are always so encouraging and thank you once again for sharing tonight. We as Christians all face our times of trials & struggles but I think I will speak for myself going through those trials like loosing a 15 1/2yr old daughter to a car accident, or my first husband to open heart surgery or both my parents has been very hard but through it all I have learn to Trust in Jesus I have learn to Trust In God and by and with His strength I have been drawn closer to Him each time. But let me tell you I am human and when Lee-Anna died and people would say well at least she is with Jesus, You know what I just wanted to yell back at them and say NO, NO I want her here with me. But Praise The Lord He brought me through and I know beyond a shadow of a doubt it was her time to go. Struggles we all face but that is why we have Christian sisters and this blog to encourage and pray for one another and I pray that never, never stops. Hugs, Linda
my apoligies, i didn’t complete my thought on the last sentence. i wish to further add : ”because I have yet to come to a troubling circumstance that I have not been able to get through. the Lord has been with me through out 2 deaths in ’08 and releasing my youngest child to the world(going off to college). and now with family having difficulties, on bended knee is the only way I can help. will i be able to handle adversity when it comes? i pray and I will be ready as I know i’m not alone.
donna, thank you for the devotional today. the biggest change for me from 2008 to 2009 in my daily walk had slowly started half way through ’08. coming up to the end of the dec. i was most saddened knowing that numerous family members were in huge trials and struggles and that looking forward to ’09 could be their only hope. i know that the Lord is the Only Hope that will make a difference in their lives. and slowly just a few weeks into the new year, speaking to family when asked for advice has brought Jesus to my lips. so the biggest change i am making in my daily walk is to no longer be positive without giving the Lord due admiration and praise first. share His wealth through-out the fellowship of family. i’m not sure who is a believer, who is sitting on the fence, and who is a non-believer. but they all know now where i am in my walk and now the seeking of why i am so at peace, happy and caring of others. how do I do it they ask. i repied to one–on bended knee.
hence the ripple effect begins I pray
as to being able to still be thankful even when facing diversity?-i can’t give a solid answer on that —-YET!
I like the words to the song It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord and to sing praises unto thy name Oh most high! Being upbeat and positve is contagious! You have to choose to be positive and upbeat! It is possibel if you have a mind set I am going to be thankful and I don’t want to drag another person down! The Joy of the Lord is my strength! It is my goal to be positive and upbeat and be a good representative of Jesus! We all have things we struggle with but what a joy it is to know The Lord knows alll about our struggles and is in control! He has the whole world in his hands! Lets dwell less on our struggles and more on Jesus!
I like the words to the song It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord and to sing praises unto thy name Oh most high! Being upbeat and positve is contagious! You have to choose to be positive and upbeat! It is possibel if you have a mind set I am going to be thankful and I don’t want to drag another person down! The Joy of the Lord is my strength! It is my goal to be positive and upbeat and be a good representative of Jesus! We all have things we struggle with but what a joy it is to know The Lord knows alll about our struggles and is in control! He has the whole world in his hands! Lets dwell less on our struggles and more on Jesus!
i am praying for all of you ladies to day and may God bless each of you and see you through in your time of need as i know He will
I think the biggest change and my prayer has been …”to walk into the unknown, trusting like a child”.
Joanne….I can’t imagine what you are going through. Never have I faced anything like you are facing….tho I watched my Dad walk away from our mother after 20 years of marriage. There were four of us and I was/am the only girl and the oldest left at home. I was not a Christian then, nor was my mother. We didn’t have a Christian home and in fact, didn’t know anything about the Lord.
I did watch my mother grieve terribly and we, the four of us, grieved in our own ways…alone. Praise God that He had His Hand on us and we survived. Confused and hurt, I left college after two years, left my home state and moved away. It was when I found myself…very alone, with no direction, that I called on Jesus….on His saving grace.
Angie….there are many of us here at this blog site that truly….truly know deep debilitating depression. We will lift your to His Throne…..and continue to pray for you.
Precious Jesus…
Allow me to come before you tonight….bringing Joanne to Your Throne. Lord….minister to her, give her strength…pour down Your mercy and grace ….. fill her with Your peace and love.
I bring her precious children to You….knowing they must deal with the pain as well. Minister to them, Lord….give them strength and may they know Your love. Envelope them in Your peace and love….and draw them close to You.
Precious Lord, we also lift Angie to You. May that spirit of depression be broken…in the Name of Jesus. Fill her life with joy…the joy that only comes from You. May she know Your love and mercy…..and that Your grace is sufficient for these times.
We praise You that we can come to You….We worship You and love You….
In Jesus Name…..
Amen
This devotional has been such a blessing! God’s been showing me over and over again to continue to have a thankful heart and not ask “what if?” but ask “what next?”. Depression had been eating away at my life for a few years. I know God is breaking those chains. It’s all about if I allow it to or not. To look past hurtful reminders and new situations that arise. And Pray. Trust God in everything. God is showing me to let go. Joanne, so many of us struggle with the same issues and hurtful situations… And I am so thankful that we can all come to a place to share, encourage, and pray for one another. I will be praying for you in this hard time. I pray that God’s presence will bring you comfort and joy to keep pressing through…
Thank you Cheryl too for your words of encouragement. I’m really hoping that I will be able to” Do the next thing”
Thanks Again.
Joanne, I remember that after 18 years my husband left and never looked back. My prayer is that God will give you strength for the days ahead. I have always appreciated Elizabeth Elliot’s words…”just do the next thing”. That’s what still gets me through minutes, hours, days, and years.
I understand the son issues, for that is a personal experience I have. God says that He will be a father to my son, as He is also a husband to me. My son, now 24 does have a good job, but I pray for him to walk with Christ daily for some of his friendships still trouble me. My daughter is 21 and is going to graduate from college in another year…she does have an active faith.
Lord I pray that you will send a Godly influence into this son’s life; someone who will “stand in the gap” for Joanne and her son and her daughter. Lord thank you for this day. Give Joanne joy for the moments, carry her in your arms. Give her wisdom and show her how “to do the next thing.” Amen.
Just checking my email before I run out for some groceries. Thank you Linda so much for for your prayer. You have a wonderful way with words. More tears!! But that’s ok It means so much to know that there truly are people out there who I don’t even know that will pray for me. Thank you so much
Dear Heavenly Father I bring Joanne before You today, Jesus You & You alone see’s her every need, the hurt, confusion, unknowing and uncertainty of what lies ahead of her but Lord we know that we know Your Word Is True and You have a plan for Joanne’s life so I just pray along with many other ladies that You will lead and guide her to and through that plan for her life. Please encourage her son to find work and be motivated and be an encouragement to his mom and respectful to her. Bless her daughter for her word, insights and articles that have been an encouragement to Joanne. Jesus I just pray for All the hurts to be healed between her and her husband and for Your Perfect will to be done in that situation as You and You alone know the entire situation. Right now Lord I just pray that You Would Wrap Your Loving Arms around Joanne, hold her close and help her to feel & know you are ever present with her and are directing her paths day by day. I just pray all these things In Your Name In Faith Believing, Amen & Amen! Hugs, Linda
This article really touched me and sent tears streaming. My husband (of 25 years) and I have decided to separate 4 months ago and of course life is different now. I so often see the glass as half empty and that certainly needs to change. My 24 year old daughter has been so good. She’s away at university but has often called with lots of insightful comments and articles for me. My son on the other hand is living with me and is unemployed and hanging out with the wrong people. Its been tough. Not sure of my next course of action yet. I know I need to trust God in these situations, but sometimes God seems so far away.