Advent is the ideal time to do some heart work.
Yesterday, I wrote about creating a more peaceful existence at home, by starting the day more peacefully and adding prayer. As we think about creating a more peaceful environment, we can dig into our hearts. We have to be quiet and still to do an inventory of the heart and that’s often two things that we lack. In our world today, we will never be handed quiet nor stillness, but I truly believe that we must fight for both to do heart work.
I think that’s a huge reason why Satan likes to see us so busy and wound up. He delights in chaos. When we are in chaos and chasing a dozen balls at the time, there’s no time to serious heart work. There’s no time for contemplative prayer. There’s no time to ask serious questions that require serious answers.
It takes quiet and stillness to ask ourselves if we are living the life that we really want to live. It takes both of those things to ask ourselves if we are being the spouse that we truly want to be, or the friend, or the parent. It takes some courage to ask ourselves if we are following Jesus as well as we could be.
I’m not talking about any self-condemnation here. I’m simply talking about trying to be the best Christians we can be and in turn being the best friends, spouses and parents. Everyone makes mistakes. But, sometimes in our busy chaotic lives, we lose sight of the things that matter most.
It also takes quiet and honesty to ask ourselves if we are carrying around any unresolved pain or anger from years past. Sometimes we can become so comfortable with anger, pain or disappointment, that we don’t even know we still carry it. But, the problem is, those things take up a lot of space in our hearts. They take up space that peace could be filling. They also leave an opening for Satan to come in and fill our heads doubt, fear, and all sorts of negativity.
It takes stillness and quiet and courage to ask God to show us where we could use some heart work. He will show us if we ask. Then it takes courage to get rid of all of that negativity and give it to Jesus. It takes courage and patience to heal. We can’t do it alone, but the Holy Spirit will help us.
But, if we take the time to pray, to be still, to listen and to heal, the peace we will have will be overflowing. The world around us will simply be unable to understand it. While we use the season of Advent to prepare our hearts for the coming of Christ, it seems like the ideal time to do any heart work we may need to do. The peace we will get in the end will be well worth it.
What do you think about peace of heart?
Have an awesome day!
Wendy 🙂