Hi! If you are just now tuning in, make sure you read the previous post, Matters of the Heart. I love talking about the heart and tackling its issues. God has taught me so much about the heart, and continues to do so! Each year He always deals with me about my heart on a different level according to the seasons.  He will never deal with us on everything at once  (it would be too much for us to handle).  He changes us one step at a time, one season at a time, and one level at a time.
So briefly, we are going to talk about what the heart consists of, beginning with a few definitions from Merriam-Webster:

-one’s innermost character, feelings, or inclinations
-the emotional or moral nature as distinguished from the intellectual nature
– a hollow muscular organ of vertebrate animals that by its rhythmic contraction acts as a force pump maintaining the circulation of the blood
– a playing card marked with a stylized figure of a red heart
– the essential or most vital part of something

We already know that the heart is an organ.  The definitions we are going to 
focus on, are the ones that mention how the heart is our innermost character, feelings, or inclinations, and the other about the emotional or moral nature.  First let me say this, our heart consists of our mind, self-will, and emotions.  God gave us emotions for a reason, and it wasn’t so that we can use them to slash out at people or to make excuses for our behavior.  He gave us emotions so that we can experience every feeling that makes us human, the capacity to be vulnerable.   Here are some scriptures to support this:

-Who, although He existed in the form and unchanging essence  of God [as One with Him, possessing the fullness of all the divine attributes–the entire nature of deity], did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped or asserted [as if He did not already possess it, or was afraid of losing it];  but emptied Himself [without renouncing or diminishing His deity, but only temporarily giving up the outward expression of divine equality and His rightful dignity] by assuming the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men [He became completely human but was without sin, being 
fully God and fully man] -Philippians 2:6-7 (Amplified Version)

-In the same way the Spirit [comes to us and] helps us in our weakness.  We do not know what prayer to offer or how to offer it as we should, but the Spirit Himself [knows our need and at the right time] intercedes on our behalf with sighs and groanings too deep for words -Romans 8:26 (Amplified Version)

When Jesus, God’s Son, walked this earth, He experienced the same emotions that we face today.  That is why He can empathize and intercede (to stand in the gap; intervene; dispute) for us on our behalf.  Because of this, we can have peace and rejoice in the fact that God understands everything that we are enduring.   He says the following:  

-“For My yoke is easy [to bear] and My burden is light” -Matthew 11:30 (Amplified Version)

 -On God my salvation and my glory rest; He is my rock of [unyielding] strength, my refuge is in God. 
    -Psalm 62:7 (Amplified Version)

Sometimes the most difficult thing to do is to drop our emotions at His feet in place of carrying them around on us when we encounter different trials in life. Whenever I did not drop my emotions, it was like I did it to demonstrate to God that I was doing my part by feeling guilty, sad, or whatever I was dealing with at the time. He knew, that I knew I was punishing myself for whatever I did wrong or was bearing the burden.  That’s pretty twisted isn’t it?  Sadly I guarantee that you too, have behaved this way or are currently doing so.  This is because we do not clearly understand the love of Christ and the power of His acceptance of who He created us to be.

Unfortunately, the truth was that I was not doing my part.  I was not trusting 
Him with all of the emotions that I was dealing with.  I was actually being disobedient because I was not resting (freedom from care) in Him.   What about you? Have you been trusting Him with your emotions and resting in Him?

I challenge you to continue to meditate and reflect on these scriptures, as well as journal in your quiet time.   Really think about those questions and jot down your thoughts. Try to identify the areas of where you can grow in resting in Him, and trusting Him with your emotions. Begin to ask God to help you give your burdens to Him, so that you are not carrying them around. I pray that this blessed and encouraged you! Stay tuned for the next chapter of Matters of the Heart.

Blessings,

Kia