Seclusion—for any reason—builds walls only if you let it. Closeness is hard to regain if you don't try. If others don't reach for you, reach for them. You determine your outlook—no one else.
"A peaceful heart leads to a healthy body; jealousy is like cancer in the bones" (Proverbs 14:30).
Jesus has given you the gift of a peaceful heart, but if you don't believe what you have received, you won't experience it. This Truth is something the Lord has taught me during the last five months that have not gone the way I wished. I never wanted to go through two hospital stays and be secluded at home. At times I was even envious of others. Sometimes, when I didn’t receive a call or text from those I cared for, I’d sense a loss. My problem, I discovered, wasn’t with anyone else. It was with me. I was looking for how much I was worth in what others thought of me instead of what God did.
My worth isn’t found in what anyone else says or doesn’t say, how they act, react, or think. My worth is in Christ alone. Jesus found me worthy enough to die for me, and He sees me worthy now. Any feeling that I have lost closeness with others is what I’ve determined in my mind. If I try to analyze what others think or feel, I’m looking for answers that I won’t ever have. If I need proof that others care, then I’m seeking for my worth in them instead of the Lord. I’m the one who determines that I won’t be paralyzed by any thought the enemy attempts to plant. When I know who I am in Jesus—when Jesus has taught me His Truth about my relationship with Him, I’m at peace with my relationships with others. I experience the gift of His peace that Proverbs 14:30 says leads to a healthy body.
We determine what we believe about our relationship with God. A positive or negative attitude determines whether we have God’s peace or not. A negative attitude and envy are like cancer to the bones. And what does cancer do? It eats away at everything good. The analogy to your bones is an incredible choice in this Scripture. Your bones hold your body together, and if cancer eats them, you fall apart. Without a peaceful heart, you fall apart from fear and anxiety. You isolate yourself in self-imposed rejection.
Whatever you are going through, don’t isolate yourself. Reach for God, and seek the Truth of the incredible depth of His love for you. Praise Him for He never leaves you or forsakes you! Reach out to others—not expecting them to say or do something that proves your worth. Reach out and love them! Unselfishness will bring peace and joy to your heart. Your outlook determines your outcome.
“A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength" (Psalm 17:22, NLT). Don't settle for a broken spirit that drains you. Find joy in your relationship with Jesus. He is the one who gives a peaceful heart and makes all the difference.
©2020 Lynn Lacher
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