Aligning the Heart
“If the heart is a compass, what is it tuned to?”
These were the words my pastor spoke not too many weeks ago, and I couldn’t shake them from my mind. As a Christian, I like to think that God is the “True North” of my internal compass. In reality I often find that deep down under the façade it’s really satisfaction, acceptance, joy, or love that I’m pursuing. Other times it’s even receiving top grades, winning competitions, or getting my dream job.
Usually, it’s something comfortable. Nice. Me-centered.
And yet, those things never seem to really satisfy. Ironically, when you seek after satisfaction, you always seem to end up unsatisfied. When you go looking for love, you always seem to find only the warped, twisted versions.
What really gets me, though, when I take time to think, is that satisfaction, acceptance, joy, and love… even glory… are things that God freely gives. Yet, instead of full-out pursuing my Creator, the Giver of all good things, I am here chasing after His gifts apart from Him.
As if I knew a better place to get them.
“Then Jesus said to His disciples, ‘If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and will then repay every man according to his deeds.’” Matthew 16:24-27 NASB
When I read this passage, it feels almost backwards–if you lose your life, you find it; if you try to save it, you lose it after all. And yet that is exactly how it does work–if the “losing” is done for Christ.
As we surrender to His will, our lives are worthwhile and we gain treasure in Heaven. He will “repay every man according to his deeds” (vs 27).
Now, surrendering isn’t always fun and trusting is sometimes even harder. Will I have enough money left for my needs? How can I possibly survive another day without a [insert relationship here]? Will all my friends reject me if I am open about being a Christian?
The questions can go on and on and on. And yet:
“‘Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!’” Matthew 7:7-11 ESV
Our Father knows what we need, and He is not going to give a proverbial snake when a fish is requested. I think sometimes I ask for very shallow things and receive the same–sort of like the stories of the kids who wanted candy and their parents gave them nothing but candy until they begged for real food.
May we be wise enough to desire the fish and patient enough to wait for it if that is what He requires. May our hearts be aligned with His.
Melody loves using art as a way to convey truth, goodness, and beauty, and ultimately to honor God. Currently a Music Education Major in southern Maine, she plays flute, piccolo, and piano, and also enjoys singing, teaching, and learning new instruments. Music, however, is not her only art form; Melody has enjoyed writing, drawing, knitting, and more, for many years and aims to continue a variety of art forms. Connect with her in our Writing community!
Image by Christy Anne Photography. (Give her a follow to see her upcoming Nashville adventures!)
