Sometimes the frailty of the human heart is what’s best for our soul. ~ SimplyKerri
The human heart. The most important organ within the body. It pumps blood, nutrients and oxygen to the rest of our organs and all throughout our body. It beats about 115,000 times per day. It pumps about 2,000 gallons of blood per day. It’s the size of an adult fist and runs on an intricate electrical system in the body which is what controls the rhythms of your heart. The way God designed the body is so fascinating! The human heart can even continue beating when it is disconnected from the body.
The human body is truly amazing. Its resilience, its strength, its will to heal itself and even fight for survival – just amazing.
Sometimes it’s just not strong enough. Sometimes it breaks down. Sickness and disease come, altering our quality of life. Sometimes we don’t even notice how sick we may be because on the outside we may look completely normal. However, on the inside our heart is not functioning properly and we don’t know. We don’t know this until it’s shown on an image of a heart or blood work showing the signs of sickness. The tests show a different side. A side no one else sees but the doctors and nurses, the ones who can read the test results.
Isn’t it similar to how most of us live our lives? Smiling and showing up. Working. Being a parent. Being a spouse. Going to events. We put a big smile on, makeup and hair – if you’re a woman. We get the outfit and play that part. All the while our insides are riddled with pain and darkness and things left unhealed.
We can eat all the right things, exercise, take the supplements, do all the things to keep us healthy and strong. But sometimes, sometimes disease is unavoidable.
Being a Christian, we can pray, worship, and read the word.. We can do all the good and right things, but we will still have troubles. We will still feel grief and sorrow. Disease and hardships. We will still face trials.
There are those of us that walk the line. Constantly stuck; wanting to serve the Lord, doing most of the right things, but still play with fire. Whether we do this by blatant lack of care or because that is all we know – it happens. It’s second nature. No matter how much you try to strengthen the spirit, the flesh seems to always be stronger. You are on the never ending cycle of having a good heart, good motives, wanting to do the right things…. But somehow, it’s just inevitable that you will screw it up. Sometimes it’s not even our fault; it’s the sad and unfortunate ripple effect from someone else’s choices that have altered us in such a way that it has become an automatic response to function that way.
Then there are those of us that are strait rebels. Living the good life. Maybe you’re a good person, good to others, caring.. But God? Pfff, come on, you’re crazy… they drink or smoke, party, do every and anything that feels good because they are living for the moment – always on the run from something. They drown out whatever it is that triggers the emotions that they don’t want to feel. They fill the void of emptiness with anything they can. Do whatever feels good. YOLO is the best excuse.
Friend, I stand in no judgment. None. Because I am each of these wrapped up in one. Wanting to be all of these; and none at all.
Whether it is a physical disease or not; it always catches up with us.
We eventually have to stop running.
We eventually have to deal with whatever is making us sick if we want to survive.
Like the heart, when it is altered by disease, there are some options. There are amazing drugs on the market. There are amazing procedures out there now. Amazing doctors. Maybe you only need a slight adjustment of changing eating habits and exercise.
And then, in some cases, the heart is just too damaged. Too broken. Too sick.
What do we do when the frailty of our own body, our own heart, gives out on us? Whether it be physical sickness or mental or emotional or all of it together….
What is left when the heart cannot go on anymore?
You will need a heart transplant.
According to the Mayo Clinic, a heart transplant is an operation in which a diseased, failing heart is replaced with a healthier donor heart. Heart transplant is a treatment that’s usually reserved for people whose condition hasn’t improved enough with medications or other surgeries. While a heart transplant is a major operation, your chance of survival is good with appropriate follow-up care.
I knew why the Lord put this subject on my heart to write about, but what surprised me is what He had waiting for me when I began researching.
You see, friend, I have found myself in a place of sickness again. Goodness, how many times must I walk this same path. Dancing with sin. Walking that fine line. Or even doing the right thing, trying. But lacking faith and trust in Him. Fighting for control… and every single time…. I end up sick. I don’t want to be sick anymore! I want to be whole. Even through trials.
You can be a good person, do all the right things, and still feel… Empty. Alone. Battered and worn out from life’s never ending strain…
So what do we do? Obviously this is metaphorically speaking. But how DO we heal the heart?
Sometimes the frailty of the human heart is what’s best for the soul.
We need the heart to die. We need to be so sick that we have exhausted all other treatment measures in order to get on a transplant list and get a transplant.
“An operation in which a diseased, failing heart is replaced with a healthier donor heart.”
Father, Take this heart of stone and make it flesh. Make it yours.
“A major operation.”
“But survival is good with appropriate follow-up care.”
Isn’t it just like God to have the same exact instructions for us. For our hearts, our souls.
We need to die to self, in order to be more like Him. Our hearts need to be broken in order to have a transplant.
A new donor heart.
His heart.
Survival chance is good with follow up care.
“He must increase, but I must decrease.” ~ John 3:30
I must decrease… My wants, my needs, my flesh, my heart which the bible tells us is deceitful…
I. MUST. DECREASE.
I don’t know about you, friend, but this is a pattern in my life. Yes, there will always be trials as a christian. It’s to mold us and prune and refine us. I get it..
But how much of our ‘sickness’ is caused by self destructive behavior? For me, I know my hurts, I know my demons, my pain. It runs deep. I want what I want because I don’t want to feel the pain anymore. So, I get impatient with God. His timing isn’t good enough. His plans, come on, do you really know what’s best? I grow weary of waiting, I fight once again for control of my own life…..
Until each time I end up here. Again and again and again.
I walk His walk until I reach a point that doesn’t feel good. It hurts, it’s scary, it’s unknown; what ever it is, I panic and it causes me to run in the opposite direction.
When will I learn to just let Him be God?
It is here; when the frailty of my human heart gives way, that I call out in distress.
Lord, take this heart of stone and make it new.
Replace it with your donor heart.
If we are stripped down to nothing in order to be given a new gift… For a chance in healing and restoration and wholeness… Isn’t that what we want?
Isn’t that what our souls truly long for?
Maybe the frailty of our human hearts really is what’s best for our souls.
“And I will give them one heart, and a new spirit I will put within them. I will remove the heart of stone from their flesh and give them a heart of flesh,” – Ezekiel 11:19
