Is God Preparing Your Heart
In my last blog post, The Clock is Ticking—Are You Ready?, I encourage to consider steps to prepare your heart for the second coming of Jesus Christ, which is prophesized over 300 times in scripture. I emphasized it’s not a matter of ‘if’ He returns but ‘when’.
There are many theories on how the end of times will unfold. However, the signs are evident. The most important to recognize is deception, as it promotes false hope, false truths, and leaves a wake of frustration, where in some countries, has boiled over. There is no doubt, we’re in a time of uncertainty and confusion.
So, how do you fit in the crosshairs of evolving events you can’t control?
Is this a black and white decision?
To put it in perspective, the colour black has no visible light and absorbs light.
White, on the other hand, is the entire rainbow in the visible light spectrum, and reflects light.
As black absorbs light, it can be viewed as the darkness of deception and hopelessness.
As white includes all colours it can represent wholeness, peace, calm, and feeling hopeful.
When you break these colours down and compare them to the condition of your heart, black hides your truth where white reveals it.
How do you tip the scale?
Ezekiel 36:26: "And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh."
To break the chains, you need a person who knows your tears, pain, suffering, and has the means to overcome despair, hopelessness and the sting of deception. Someone who has walked in your shoes, been betrayed, beaten, humiliated, spat on, crucified, and who’d do it again to wipe away the black and replace it with white. A person who cherishes your heart with all of its imperfections.
Jesus can lift you out of the black and create a new you in white. However, it’s your choice. If you utter, “Lord, forgive me for my sins. I give you my heart,” you’ll be lifted out of the darkness by the grace of Christ Jesus. It’s only through Him your heart can be changed.
Psalm 51:10: "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me."
To remove black stains in your heart, God leads you in lessons of dips and valleys to teach you to trust His guidance.
Isaiah 41:10
So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
As the verse states above, do not fear as God is with you in lessons that reveal the truth of your heart. Truths you don’t want to face but must.
For five months, I’ve learned truths I didn’t realize I was doing until pointed out. The lessons weren’t easy. Some were faced with tears, hardship, stressful nights, calling out for help; however, I wouldn’t replace any of it.
When presented with hidden truths, you have the choice to either absorb and ignore it, like the colour black or like the colour white, embrace the reflection, being God’s light with confession, forgiveness and repentance. If you chose to embrace the light you learn to view these lessons through the lens of God.
It’s how I realized God was preparing my heart. He revealed what I needed to know to act for change. To follow His guidance by surrendering the worry, stress, panic, where through Him, dissipates like misty mornings. The heavy burden becomes lighter as you know in your heart you can face these faults as God is with you, upholding you with His righteous right hand.
Joshua 1:9
Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”
It’s walking in faith, and trusting the Lord has got your back. Take the well-known story of David and Goliath. Everyone believed he was no match for the giant Goliath. But David stood ground in his faith. He knew the outcome as Goliath had defiled the Lord of Armies. He said:
1 Samuel 17:46
“This day the Lord will hand you over to me, and I will strike you and remove your head from you.”
David was victorious for more than one reason. He believed with confidence the Lord of Armies had his back. Secondly, his heart was prepared to follow God’s lead.
In today’s world, giants can feel like a whirlwind—impacts from global events, financial hardship, corporate responsibilities, and being a stronghold for your family.
To believe wholeheartedly the outcome of an uncomfortable and worrisome situation and know with certainty God will reveal His victory through you, is a heart song celebration in allowing God to have your back.
For me, worry and doubt creep in and I stumble and fall. However, God never gives up. He is patient and willing to provide additional opportunities to teach you to be prepared for the return of Jesus and remember who God is...He is Holy.
Apostle Peter explains it perfectly...
2 Peter 3:8-14
But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead, he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare.
Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.
So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him.
This verse explains the signs of the last of the last days. Important to note—God’s patience. He doesn’t want anyone to perish. He wants you to repent and rejoice in His goodness. And patience is the key, as our world has fallen deeper in darkness than in the time of Noah and Sodom and Gomorrah, and yet, we’re still here.
God reminds me often of His love with words...
You are my love song, and I am forever with you.
You are my delight.
I am the fire that cleanses the soul.
I shower you with blessings from living water. I surround you with myrrh and fresh oils. Bathe in its sweetness, knowing my love endures forever.
Trust Jesus in everything.
Believe in who you are in me.
You are beautiful, for I created you.
You are my greatest joy.
Prepare your heart.
Let my peace calm the troubled waters in your heart.
In me there is no fear.
I am overwhelmed by God’s unending love and guidance. How He moves in my life to change my heart, is a journey I embrace.
However, most believe, life isn’t black and white. There’s a grey area where compromises, contemplation, and understanding lead decisions and choices. It’s an area, I believe, where analytical thinking, awareness, and action create a black or white decision. It’s where God waits for you to choose His light and grace.
God knows the different paths of your life and the outcomes of each decision. He knows which path you need to prepare your heart. Sometimes, the difficult roads lead to a greater victory.
It makes me think of a pet recovering from surgery. To prevent your cat/dog from licking the stitches, a cone is placed around their head. Once secured, you can read the question behind their eyes, “why are you doing this to me? Don’t you love me?” They’re unable to comprehend the discomfort is temporary and that your actions are because you love them. It’s the same with God. Paths are chosen by free will. God knows which one will deliver the best outcome. He knows the pain is temporary and presents the opportunity because He loves you. It’s up to you to make a choice with a heart that trusts the process.
Lessons of the heart can be like ocean waves crashing against a rocky shore. Necessary but beautiful, as God knows the best version of you. He is omnipresent and guides every step. However, situations can be difficult to bear. We’re emotional creatures. Words hurt. Actions cause pain. Emotions can be overrun. Each of us is unique and react differently. However, God is with you. He wants you to lean on Him. And it’s hard, as at times, your heart can’t take it. You may want to give up. Walk away and be done. It’s in these moments where God wants you to call out and ask Him to take control. It’s the moment of choosing black, white, or rest in grey until you reach a decision. The important thing to recognize, is God’s hand teaching you, and preparing your heart. To understand His purpose—be open to receive His lessons.
Each day, you’re faced with making decisions. Some will keep you up all night, where others, can weave excitement. What’s important is to recognize God’s hand, His lesson, and His process in transforming your heart to a heart that reflects your truth with love and acceptance for being the person God created you to be.
Have you noticed God working in your life?
Are you in a season of making difficult choices?
Are you recognizing God’s hand in these decisions?
Small steps of obedience today prepare your heart for tomorrow.
Keep your focus on Jesus as He is the way, the truth and the life. The doorway to salvation, forgiveness of sins. He will cleanse you with hyssop and make you white as snow.
To prepare your heart, a first step is to let go of black layers in your heart. Layers that hold you back.
I created a Prayer Journal with a focus of decreasing your wants and desires by removing layers one step at a time. John the Baptist said it perfectly in John 3:30 “He must increase, but I must decrease.” To help you in this journey, I created this digital prayer journal to identify areas you need to decrease for Jesus to increase in your heart.
This journal will hold you accountable as you write areas of your life to decrease so Jesus is the center of your life. It’s through Him, your faith will increase and your heart will be renewed in His white light.
The Prayer Journal is available as a digital download at my ETSY Shop, at Archway Designs by CFC Studios.
Grab a copy today.
Here are 3 actions to prepare your heart this week
Ask God to reveal one area of your heart He wants to transform.
Spend time reading the featured Scriptures.
Pray the closing prayer below each day and write down what the Holy Spirit is teaching you.
Let’s Pray,
My Lord, my Saviour, mold me, transform my heart so I can be a light to others. Give me clarity, joy in my heart so I forever praise you in this season, in this new beginning. May your light squash the dark corners of my heart so I can have a heart shining in white, reflective of your glory, transparent, and trusting the process needed in preparation of Jesus’ return.
In Jesus’ Name
Amen
Hi, I’m Cathy.
A creative professional passionately driven to pointing people away from new age indoctrination to find redemption in Jesus Christ and encouraging others in their walk with the Lord.
I’m a mixed blend, excited to share all I offer...
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