In his brilliant book, Gentle and Lowly, author Dane Ortlund writes…
“You don’t need to unburden or collect yourself and then come to Jesus. Your very burden is what qualifies you to come. No payment is required; he says, “I will give you rest.” His rest is a gift, not a transaction. Whether you are actively working hard to crowbar your life into smoothness or passively finding yourself weighed down by something outside your control, Jesus Christ’s desire that you find rest, that you come in out of the storm, outstrips even your own.”
What an amazing truth? Jesus wants your heart and life to be at peace even more than you do! And He alone can fix the heart because He created us.
In the Old Testament prophetic book of Ezekiel 26:36, God makes a promise to all who reach out in humble surrender to him…
“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you;
I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.”
Jesus in his gentle, humble, loving-kindness will co-operate with us every day to perform daily heart surgery – through the work of the Holy Spirit – to remove the pain of life’s bad choices and experiences that are preventing our hearts from working right, and therefore our lives lived right.
Maybe consider this prayer today as an invitation for God to give you a new heart.
Father God, thank you for your great love and patience with me.
Fill me with your Spirit and help me to become more like Jesus – healed and whole.
I confess and release the pain of fear, deception, brokenness, despair, bitterness, aching, pride, doubt, trouble, and any sense of hardness of heart.
Forgive me, Free me. Fill me with your life and peace.
Thank you that you long for me to be well and whole even more than I do for myself.
By your Spirit, change and heal my heart.
For my good, for the good of others, and for your glory.
Amen
