BLESSINGS OF THE HEART: A CHRISTMAS DEVOTION
Is your heart happy and healthy? Do you feel good, celebrating your life the
way you intend? Is your heart filled with love, grace, and hope? Or is your heart
stony, one that is crowded with internal and external chaos? Do you suffer from
loss or betrayal? Is your heart filled with fear, anger, or disappointment? Is
it broken?
Maybe your heart needs to be restored
and rejuvenated. You need blessings, my friend.
The word blessed is described in the
dictionary as: made holy; consecrated.
Synonyms for blessed are holy, hallowed,
sanctified, dedicated, and revered.
A few years back, God gave me three
words. Those words were Believe, Slow down, and Listen. I pondered what they meant
for me. I had no idea how they would impact my life. Through the years, I
related many meanings to the words. I thought about each word separately and
the group of words as a whole.
Over time, through life’s ups and
downs, I learned lessons. I suffered from grief when my husband unexpectedly
passed away and I found him. Grief crippled me. Here I am today living with a heart
full of blessings. Oh sure, some days aren’t easy. But today I’m learning how
to embrace grace, renewal, and hope.
Let’s consider each word. Then we
will explore ways to gather blessings.
The word Believe. Believe in what or
who? I believed in God, no doubt there. As the years passed, I learned that
though I believed, I asked myself how deep did it go. In myself. In family and
friends. Was I committed to believing? I had work to do.
The words Slow Down. I’ve rushed
through life, not stopping until my tasks were finished. Many people have the
responsibilities of a spouse, children, family, and a day job. Days are filled
from morning to night with work. Rushing is not a healthy way to live. This was
hard for me to embrace. I had work to do.
The word Listen. I was confident I listened
well. The truth is I did not. I heard what others said, but I interrupted them
by inserting my feelings and experiences on the matter. While they talked to
me, I fidgeted, I doodled, I wasn’t a good listener. To God. To others. To
myself. I had work to do.
Here are ways I learned to find blessings
to restore and revive my heart.
BELIEVE. Communicate with God daily.
Talk, laugh, cry, pray, and pour out your feelings. Open your Bible or a
devotional guide and read. I made many mistakes, only to finally and fully
believe that God is in control. He is in control of you, me, and the universe.
Exercise faith that God is waiting to hear you and help you. In the good and
bad of life, God is but a breath away.
We have choices to make every day.
Choose to believe. Believe in yourself. You are created by God. Your family is
created by God. Even through the rotten times, believe that good things are
going to happen! Jesus tells us in Scripture, “And whatever things you ask in
prayer, believing, you will receive.” (Mark 11:24 NKJV). Practice believing
through faith, trust, and hope.
SLOW DOWN. Prioritize your day, your
week, and maybe an entire month. Rest a bit after you have accomplished something. Celebrate
your success! Make lists of things to do. Lists are an organizational skill
that keeps you on track. I make lists of where I am going and what I need to
do.
Say a prayer and be thankful for all
that you have. Memorize a Bible verse to help you turn your thoughts heavenward
and give your heart a calming boost.
Learn to say “no” to things that steal
your time. Take time for yourself. Do something that refreshes you and fills
you with joy. Life is hard sometimes! Practice slowing down by taking a break, filling
your thoughts with honor, comfort, and gratitude.
David writes, “Truly my soul
silently waits for God; my salvation comes from Him. Truly He is my rock and my
salvation; He is my fortress; I will never be shaken.” (Psalms 62:1-2 NKJV).
LISTEN. Listen to yourself. Listen to others. Listen to God. Learn to
listen to the sounds around you and to those speaking. Find a picture of
something or someone and focus on it for a few minutes. Go outdoors to focus on
what you hear. Close your eyes and enjoy the moment. Is there silence? Do you
hear animals or the sounds of daily life? Play a CD and pay attention to the
words of the song. Ponder what the words mean to you.
Learn to listen to yourself. Our
actions and words come from our hearts. Are we respectful, full of love and
grace? Are we living our lives in a worthy manner? Listen deeply and make
changes if they are needed. Let the Lord lead you.
The next time someone talks to you,
focus on the conversation. Look at the speaker, open your ears, and hear.
Respond very little, giving them your full attention and respect. Practice
listening in love, encouragement, and grace.
In the words of James, the brother
of Jesus, he states, “So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to
hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath.” (James 1:10 NKJV).
This Christmas give yourself a gift of
blessings. Be willing. Be encouraged. Be consistent. Be faithful to yourself! The
Bible teaches that we go through storms of life. We will make mistakes, suffer
loss, and encounter hurt. But our life walk is much better if we believe, slow
down, and listen. Jesus tells us in the Book of Luke 11:9, “So I say to you, ask,
and it will be given to you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it will be
opened to you.” (NKJV).
God speaks to us in the Book of
Ezekiel 36:26, “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I
will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.”
(NKJV).
These are only a few suggestions to
help you gather blessings. While you are resting, think of other ways to bless
yourself and other people this Christmas season. Believe, slow down and listen.
In the Spirit of Christmas, let’s remember how the Grinch’s heart grew again
after practicing forgiveness and kindness.
Fill your heart with blessings! Merry
Christmas!
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