Day 115- Following Your Heart
📖Daily Reading
Proverbs 4-5
🎥 Video
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📝 Reflection
Proverbs 4: 7, 20-23
Getting wisdom is the wisest thing you can do! And whatever else you do, develop good judgement.
My child, pay attention to what I say. Listen carefully to my words. Don’t lose sight of them. Let them penetrate deep into your heart, for they bring life to those who find them and healing to their whole body.
Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.
The title of my reflection today is intentionally misleading. Which is also what our heart will do to us if left to it’s down devices and desires. There are a lot of nice sounding phrases about ‘following your heart’ and ‘the heart wants what the heart wants’. The truth of the matter is we are very fickle creatures and if we let the immediate desires of our hearts be our guides, it often will lead us right into trouble. We first have to train our hearts by seeking and learning to love wisdom and developing good judgement. Only then can we let our hearts be our guides. And even then we have to guard our hearts above all else, as it states in verse 23 - ‘for it determines the course of your life’.
I have to admit this has been a revelation for me the last few years and one that I am just on the cusp of understanding fully. I in the arduous but also beautiful process climbing out of the pit of some very tough consequences of thinking that life was about following your heart. Now trying to do things in the right order teaching my heart to learn, seek and love wisdom and the benefits it will bring to my life. Not only that but it changes and aligns my desires, for me that is with God, in a better direction for me and others. That is what He promises, He doesn’t promise to grant the desires of our hearts, He aligns and gives us desires that align with Him and His plan for us. This is very different. This part of what prayer does, it changes our perspective, renews our mind and hearts.
When I first approached my desire to change it seems so hard, because my desires were still divided. I knew I wanted certain outcomes in my life like; more energy, integrity, health, wellness, confidence, strength, BUT I also wanted to keep doing what I was doing - I didn’t want to ‘give up’ anything or feel deprived. Who does right? Why do you think the diet and fitness industry is a billion dollar industry despite the fact that we all know what to do, but we struggle with doing it anyway. This is why - our hearts are divided, and most of us let the desires of our heart lead the way and be the decision maker. A lot of people are like me they didn’t learn the right order of things, to seek wisdom first and let that rule and influence and direct the desire of the heart.
The struggle is real, temptations are real and they are hard to resist just by sheer ‘will, wish and want’ power. If you are anything like me, I really did desire to be fit, healthy and have lots of energy, feel closer to God but I also desired and felt like I deserved my daily glass or three of Chardonnay, satisfying any craving, to skip my workouts, sleep in etc.. I also like many didn’t have great role modeling, specific and intentional teaching about such things, combined with some trauma. So I don’t beat myself up about it. I am learning to be patient and trust the process of changing the desires of my heart, allowing wisdom and good judgement to penetrate my heart so that then I can follow it and trust that it is leading me on a course that will lead to healing for my whole mind, body and spirit.
This revelation is also for me bringing me more compassion not only for myself but also for others. We can’t do better if we don’t know better. Also, true change that penetrates the heart seems to know this. If you are finding yourself judging others, and you feel ‘good’ about yourself by checking your boxes and doing things ‘right’ but still feeling frustrated especially with others you might still have some ‘heart’ work to do. You might still have some feelings of deprivation that need to be resolved. Maybe, not sure that I am right on this, but something that I am noticing in myself as I grow in wisdom and maturity. BTW maturity has nothing to do with your chronological age, there are a lot of 40- 50-60-70 etc.. children walking around, and conversely some very wise 20 year olds. When wisdom is sought it will always do a good work in the heart at just the right time.
✍🏼Daily Journal Prompt
I would love to know how this resonated with you and if you are seeing the wisdom in orienting your heart in the right direction first, and developing the skill of good judgement before you can trust it to be a good guide? There are not shortcuts, you’ve got to put in the time and the work, but to be free. Free from battling desires and to do the work to change my desires to be for what is good for me - this is our work, it is hard but it is priceless and worth every ounce of discomfort, discipline, correction and effort!
📖Tomorrows Reading
Proverbs 6-7
Coaching Opportunity
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