A broken heart

 

My heart is broken and I don't know how much more it can take. Last night another church family member passed away, this time from Covid. We have lost so many brothers and sisters in the past 10 months that I can't help but wonder if our Father isn't calling His children home before things get worse here on earth. I hesitate to say "before the tribulation" because I'm not learned enough on the subject to understand the timing of the rapture.

     But that, coupled with what's going on in our nation - so much anger and hatred. What really scares me is the darkness in my own heart toward our government, the anger that I can't contain when certain topics are raised among friends and family...it's become the norm. I'm reminded of the song, Revolutionary by Josh Wilson: 

Why does kindness seem revolutionary

When did we let hate get so ordinary

Let's turn it around, flip the script

Judge slow, love quick

God help us get revolutionary

     I really want kindness to be the norm. I want people to love one another regardless of the color of their skin, political views, socio-economic standing, dialect ... It's those visible and verbal differences that divide us. Visible differences are a given; we can't do anything about them, but what comes out of our mouths, and what rests in our hearts can be "fixed." 

     Lately, I think the words, "I hate..." way more often than ever before. "I hate my office building." "I hate getting up so early." "I hate cloudy days." Those thoughts are newly developed in me and they stem from stress, anxiety, and depression. It may seem harmless to hate those things, but it's not. Hate is like a disease that starts in our hearts and spreads to our minds, words, and actions. It's insidious and unrelenting. Scariest of all, it's Satan's grip on us.

     There may or may not be a theme this week, just the ramblings of someone who is at the end of her rope with the hatred and disrespect of the world. I guess we need to pray for many things this week and beyond. We need to pray for love, kindness, grace, and patience. We need to pray to be Christ-like. We need to denounce violence and hatred and discrimination. We need to remember that we are one race, one nation under God.

Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, 

with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 

This is the first and great commandment. 

And the second is like it: 

‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’

Matthew 22:37-39 NKJV

These are Jesus' commandments to us. If we're doing anything that conflicts with these, we need to re-evaluate our salvation. I need to be and will be, down on my knees to rid my heart of "I hate" statements. Pray for a heart of love.

*********

Please join me this week in heart-felt prayer for whatever is weighing heavily on your soul.

I'll post daily reminders on:

twitter @7DegreesOfMe

Instagram @archadia27
Pinterest Prayer Group #7thHourPrayerPower

Facebook group 7th Hour Prayer Power

#7thHourPrayerPower #BibleVerses #bible #peace #love #bekind #patience