Heart Left
God’s followers are not heart-less; we are heart-left. No matter what hurts our hearts, minds and bodies, we have “heart left”.
Many things disappoint us. The outcome of a game. Things that happened at work. Someone else got a position. The kids are doing this and not that. The fig tree has not blossomed and there is no fruit on the vine.
In our state many are very disappointed about the outcome of a statewide proposition. Very disappointed. Certainly, because of this electoral decision lives will be lost, families disrupted, young people made vulnerable to the whims of the culture. Very disappointed indeed.
But we are not, and cannot be heart-less, that is lose heart. Paul writes in II Corinthians 4, “We are perplexed, but not driven to despair,” and also, “So we do not lose heart.” You may know that the root of the English word “discourage” is to lose your “cor”, your heart. (Think “cardiac”.)
Whether it is an election this week or a bad break at work next week or an action of a child or the outcome of a frivolous sporting event, disappointment abounds. However, for the follower of Jesus, one who knows that Jesus through it all, often in all too mysterious ways and timing, continues to be at work to build his Kingdom and protect his people, disappointment never yields the field to discouragement.
This is why we fix our eyes on him. When we look to the world, disappointment and “appointment” (what is the opposite of disappointment?) come and go. But when our eyes are fixed on Jesus, our hearts will be encouraged and discouragement will be banished. God’s promise through the prophet Jeremiah of a new heart (Jeremiah 24:7) enables the followers of God to face disappointment without discouragement.
We muscle on as aliens and strangers buffeted by any number of disappointments, hurts and pain. Disappointed. Yes. Sometimes profoundly so. But never heart-less. In Jesus there is always heart left.
If this is not significant in your world this week, it may be next week.
See the last few verses of Habakkuk 3.
5 thoughts on “Heart Left”
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Thank you Dave, very timely.
Thanks for the comment Dana– greetings to Pam and the family!
On point as always. It was a difficult week for me on many levels. I always blame the full moon (and in this case a lunar eclipse/blood moon), and the election didn’t help. How divisive we are as a society lately is very discouraging, but we need to look to the word as you point out. Times have always been troubled.
Very significant….the job thing…or lack of job thing was pretty difficult this past week has been challenging at times. The timeliness of the post (4 minutes after receiving some disheartening news) was a gift. Thank you for the heart left reminder … helpful.
Funny how God provides for his people!