We often hear phrases like "God is greater than the highs and lows", "God is greater than the hills and valleys," or "God is greater than the need." Have you ever heard someone say, "God is greater than the heart?" If so, it's probably not mentioned as commonly as some of the other phrases. God is so much greater than we could ever imagine and it may be hard to believe at times, but He is even greater than our hearts.
Psalm 44:21-...for He knows the secrets of the heart.
1 John 3:20-For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things.
God knows us, inside and out. Every single detail. After all, He created us. He knew us before we were ever born. He knew who we would become. He knew what kind of personality we would have. He knew what kind of heart we would have. God also knew there would be heartache. He never promised life would be easy, but we can put our trust in Him through the hard times.
Proverbs 3:5-6
5. Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 6. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths.
God wants our hearts to be turned toward Him and He wants us to love Him more than anything else. We are commanded to put God first in our lives.
Deuteronomy 22:5-Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.
All God has ever wanted is our hearts. He sent His only Son to die for us and this is His simple request of us. He wants us to love Him more than anything. He wants our undivided attention. He wants all of us, even the messy parts. God isn't asking for a perfect heart. He just wants a heart willing to serve Him.
The world often says "Follow your heart." However, this isn't good advice for us as Christians. The Bible tells us that our hearts are wicked and no one can know what their heart wants (Jeremiah 17:9). We get confused. We run away from God, instead of toward Him. When times get tough, we are tempted to allow bitterness to eat at us. When storms come, we want to hide instead of step out into the waters. We often lose our way because we follow our hearts, instead of God's heart. We follow our plans instead of God's plans. We want our own ways, instead of God's ways. If you "follow God's heart," your heart will be in the right place. He will direct your steps when your focus is on Him. God is greater than the heart. His Word is true. His plans are good. His ways are better than ours. He is in control. You can trust Him with your life because God will not lead your heart astray. He takes what is inside of you and makes it better. He creates a new heart, refines you, and puts His plan into motion...His plan to take over your heart. His plan to be as close to you as you will let Him.
Will you let God have your heart? Or will you only give Him a piece here and a piece there?
I saw an image on Instagram that really spoke to me recently. It was a picture of 2 hands: one with a clenched fist, one with palm opened up. The clenched fist symbolizes our need for control and trying to handle everything on our own. The opened hand symbolizes our acknowledgement that God is in control and complete surrender to Him. You can choose one or the other...or you can choose to stay somewhere in the middle. Sometimes we open up one hand, but we are still holding onto something with the other. Sometimes we only want to give God a little bit of our hearts and we aren't fully surrendered to Him. There are some things we don't want to give up. The fact is, you can't live life in between. You either choose to follow God or the devil (Matthew 6:24).
As humans, we struggle with trust issues. It is difficult for us to fully trust someone and open up to them, especially if we have experienced past hurt. It is in our nature to be wary of God but we don't have to be. When He is standing in front of us with arms wide open, we should have no hesitation. Here is a God who loves us more than we could even comprehend. A God that gave His Son's life for ours. When we fully surrender our hearts and lives to God, He will do what we cannot do within ourselves. God is greater than whatever we feel and experience in life. Open your hands, palms up, and you will discover the beauty in surrender.
When life doesn't go your way, God is greater than your disappointment.
When heartbreak comes, God is greater than your brokenness.
When you don't understand why, God is greater than your questions.
When you are afraid for the future, God is greater than your fears.
When you don't know how to move forward, God is greater than your tomorrow.
When your heart is overwhelmed, God is greater than your anxiety.
Sometimes we allow the pain of the past to hold us back. We allow our circumstances to become greater than God. We don't think He can help us because what we have experienced seems like too much. We think God isn't big enough to handle it. That's a lie. When we begin to believe this lie, we run to temporary fixes. We try to fill the emptiness inside with other things that can never truly heal us. God is the only one who could ever completely heal our hearts. No matter how much we try, we can't do it on our own.
God doesn't want us to hold onto things that are pushing us away from Him. We try to carry burdens that weren't meant for us to carry. We hold onto pain, bitterness, anger, or rejection until it consumes us. It's hard to see God through the broken lenses of our circumstances, but God is always near. He stays the same.. You just have to pause to see Him. It isn't easy but you can trust that God is good, even in the middle of your trials. God doesn't want you to struggle on your own. He may not change your circumstances and make everything better, but He will carry you through it.
1 Peter 5:7-casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.
God cares for you. He cares about what you care about. He is even greater than your heart. There is nothing too hard for God. When you fully trust and surrender to Him, He will work everything for your good. Let this be your prayer as you experience both joy and sorrow in your life: "Here's my heart, Lord." Don't give Him just a little bit. Give it all to him: No reservations, no "what ifs", no "I'll do it tomorrow". Give Him your heart and He will change your life from the inside out. He's the only one who can.
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