Unchained Hearts

            At one time our hearts were chained, with the trappings of this world. We lived our lives concerned with only ourselves. We ran after wealth, working long hours. We ran after prestige, climbing over others to reach our goals. We ran after material things, acquiring more than our neighbors. We also gossiped, lied, had lustful thoughts, and were unaware of those less fortunate.

          But we fell, and became broken. The chains that had bound us were loosened. And we fell to our knees, crying out to the Lord for help. And because of His undying compassion and mercy for us, He helped us to our feet. He removed the chains and cast them into the sea. He sent the Holy Spirit to enter in and take root in us. He began to heal our wounds making our eyes and ears come alive. He also re-configured our hearts in order that we would follow His ways----not our own. “For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.” Romans 10:10 (NIV).

          The Holy Spirit also gave us a desire for His word. So through our study of it, we learned to more effectively pray. We learned to quiet ourselves and come humbly, but boldly, before the throne of God. And because we believed, our hearts assured us that God was listening, and working for us. We learned through trials that Christ Jesus walks with us always, when we have turned our hearts over to Him. We feel His presence and are comforted and our lives began to radiate the light of His glory that is in us. We live to follow Him, being obedient to follow His commands so that others began to notice and take heart.

          They will also begin to notice the change in our attitude toward others. Just as Christ fixed our eyes and ears, to look at and listen to, others through His love, we begin to honestly, and with heartfelt sincerity, care for them and for their wellbeing both physically and spiritually. Some will be thankful and blessed because of it. Some, due to hardened hearts, will not. But the Holy Spirit will still give us the desire to pray continually for them.

          We will also listen to the hurts and pains in their voices. So we are led by the Holy Spirit to pray with them and for them, when asked. Christ’s words come to our minds, offering an inner peace to them, that only those words can offer. Many times just ever day conversations can lead to us sharing our faith. Others will notice the change in us either through our changed way of living, our changed attitude of others, or our changed way of talking. Or all three.

          However we are seen by others, we know it is God living in us that others see, The indwelling of the Holy Spirit has not only changed our character, but also our hearts. Our interaction with others has changed because of the change in us, and in our hearts. All due to the love Jesus Christ has for us. “The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart, his mouth speaks.” Luke 6:45 (NIV).