Break My Heart For What Breaks Yours
From my early morning journal…..
“I’m trying to figure out what a blog for this week would look like. I’m a blogger about business, for Christian entrepreneurs. I want to bring hope in a difficult time but feel like talking about anything other than current events, is simply disrespectful. Lord, show me what my readers need for such a time as this. Do these times cause fear to resurface? I feel like I’ve written about fear ad nauseam. God, what would or could I write that would show respect for the current place we find ourselves and carry Your message to business owners who are simply trying to ‘make it.’”
Immediately, this verse popped into my mind and then the next few came directly after in rapid fire succession. I’m so thank for the Holy Spirit who is always there to remind me.
Matthew 22:37-39 NIV
“Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”
WE must be more diligent than we typically are to ‘take captive every thought’ as described in 2 Corinthians 10:5.
Our thoughts (Proverbs 4:23 CEV) are the source of true life. They are to be guarded carefully.
I see a pattern in these. Our thoughts are our responsibility.
Does this take an enormous amount of effort especially right now in the midst of two unprecedented circumstances in which we currently are living?
YES, IT DOES!
Our patience is wearing thin with COVID and most of us have no way of fully identifying with the immense loss just sustained by our brothers and sisters of color. I spent the better part of yesterday highly emotional and unable to hold back the tears. The song lyrics “break my heart for what breaks yours” kept playing on repeat in my head all day.
Scripture says our thoughts are the source of true life. It says we must guard them and hold them captive. It instructs us to love our neighbor as ourselves…
Do I have the answers?
Nope. Not even close.
I’m chasing peace, listening to the Still Small Voice, seeking scripture and admitting when I’ve been wrong.
And I’ve been wrong a lot.
My wrong looks like apathy.
My wrong looks like ignorance.
Once God points out my apathy and my ignorance, I can no longer neglect it. I have to face it head on and seek God for my next move.
My reaction is to jump out and do. But the Still Small Voice is telling me to wait.
So, I will. (I’m a doer, not a waiter, so this is difficult.)
But while I wait, I will pray. I will pray for broken hearts, broken dreams and broken systems.
Today, can we all stop for a moment to take our thoughts captive, guard them carefully and to love our neighbor? I feel certain this is a necessary next step in our world right now. I can only do this for myself. I can only control my OWN thoughts and bring them into alignment with scripture.
My thoughts are my responsibility.
Respectfully Yours,
Jennifer Edwards