I just have a few words running through my mind this morning, but they seem to be running deeper through my heart. Like a deep stream of water moving ever so slowly, yet still moving forward, and full of life. Most of the time deeper is better than faster. My thoughts are about keeping a quiet heart. Elisabeth Elliot, (one of my mentors from afar) compiled a book of her writings on the subject and I've picked it up again after 15 plus years. In it she typed these words that she had written in 1947 while at Wheaton College;
Lord, give to me a quiet heart
That does not ask to understand,
But confident steps forward in
The darkness guided by Thy hand.
Remarkable is the fact that she penned those words with no idea of what was in front of her. The world needs those of us who know Jesus to be women of quiet hearts. Hearts that are stilled and unruffled no matter what we are facing. To be certain we all face the same things the material and or occasion just looks different in each life. Disappointment, discouragement, uncertainty, loss, loneliness, and heartaches come to all of us, usually with no invitation on our part. Quietness of heart comes to the woman who knows her God, who faces those un-welcomed guest with the theology and truth of who God is in the midst. Realness here, take the time to feel the weight of each, grieve loss, and wrestle with what is being taught and pushed into your heart. It's not ungodly to be discouraged or to wrestle, there is a danger in thinking so. The danger is that we become those that slap some God-statement on it and never suck all the rich truth that Father is wanting to implant because we don't want anyone to think we don't have it all together. No on has it all together, hence the reason we all need Jesus!
A quiet heart is a heart of unbroken intimacy. A heart that when the things of life press in says; "I don't understand but things I do know are; God is good, God is in control, God sees all, and He will accomplish what He has planned for me." even when it doesn't feel like it! When times like described above hit, I actually have to rehearse these things out loud to myself. Women with quiet hearts are women of abiding intimacy that face life with the truth they know about God even when they don't understand. Always learning theology deeper and deeper rather than over and over.
I have been walking this out the last few weeks in my own life and heart, figured some of you have as well.....
Always learning,
Kim
Lord, give to me a quiet heart
That does not ask to understand,
But confident steps forward in
The darkness guided by Thy hand.
Remarkable is the fact that she penned those words with no idea of what was in front of her. The world needs those of us who know Jesus to be women of quiet hearts. Hearts that are stilled and unruffled no matter what we are facing. To be certain we all face the same things the material and or occasion just looks different in each life. Disappointment, discouragement, uncertainty, loss, loneliness, and heartaches come to all of us, usually with no invitation on our part. Quietness of heart comes to the woman who knows her God, who faces those un-welcomed guest with the theology and truth of who God is in the midst. Realness here, take the time to feel the weight of each, grieve loss, and wrestle with what is being taught and pushed into your heart. It's not ungodly to be discouraged or to wrestle, there is a danger in thinking so. The danger is that we become those that slap some God-statement on it and never suck all the rich truth that Father is wanting to implant because we don't want anyone to think we don't have it all together. No on has it all together, hence the reason we all need Jesus!
A quiet heart is a heart of unbroken intimacy. A heart that when the things of life press in says; "I don't understand but things I do know are; God is good, God is in control, God sees all, and He will accomplish what He has planned for me." even when it doesn't feel like it! When times like described above hit, I actually have to rehearse these things out loud to myself. Women with quiet hearts are women of abiding intimacy that face life with the truth they know about God even when they don't understand. Always learning theology deeper and deeper rather than over and over.
I have been walking this out the last few weeks in my own life and heart, figured some of you have as well.....
Always learning,
Kim
