A new heart I will give you, and a new spirit I will put within you;
Ezekiel 36:26
It’s easy to read this passage and immediately think in terms of a physical healing. So many of us are in need of that and certainly know that God may choose to heal those physical infirmities. However, spiritual or emotional healing may be His gift instead. Only God knows best, what our needs are. No matter, at some point we all do need a change of heart, a change of attitude, a change of direction. Although we may know that change is a constant in life, we may be unaware of the alterations that are occurring right in front of us, right within us at this very moment.
Whether it’s small, slow, steady, changes that occur within as we experience situations enabling us to grow in faith and gain strength; or jaw dropping, mind blowing transformations that take our breath away, in these circumstances, God is changing our hearts day by day by day. It’s important to take time to reflect on our feelings, for our “feelings” reflect the state of our “heart.” If we’ve developed an uncaring attitude, unable to step back and put ourselves in another’s shoes and feel for them, we need a change of heart! If love is not the center of what we do day to day, we need a change of heart! But, we have to recognize that need for a change of heart also, in order to feel the occurrence of it. If our hearts are cold and hard, we are unable to feel or be a part of anything of importance to life. It’s impossible. Remember though, God is telling us we can have a change of heart! He will provide for us a new one! And a change of spirit! What more could we ask for? All we have to do is ask Him. When we take time to contemplate God’s presence in all things, and think about what we need to do to be right with Him, we begin to recognize the changes within us, whether they are subtle or huge, and gratitude cannot help but follow, for the One who has given us this new heart infused with a loving spirit. What an awesome gift!
Heavenly Father, for the many times you have renewed our spirits and filled our hearts with love, we thank you! Abba! Father! We are yours!
Copyright© 2014 Kathleen A. Matson