Tell your heart to beat again

Had not at all intended to write a blog today, but was listening to K-Love on the way home from dropping my son off to school and heard the story behind the song, "Tell your heart to beat again." When I got home, I looked up the lyrics and listened to the song and it was so fitting.

I think leaving a church is one of the very hardest decisions that you can make as a believer, especially when your church is your family. You know that in leaving you are ripping apart something that will leave a jagged edge. 

So I find myself in that position, but not just me, but many other families who made the same decision -- many people that I love and esteem who are now wounded. 

This song reminds me that yes, there is a season for us to protect our hearts while God repairs the brokenness, a season where we step back and process the pain. But we cannot be overcome by the pain, paralyzed by it, jaded by it. That would be a greater tragedy to add on to the hurt of the breaking of the bonds of church family if we added to that bitterness and resentment. 

We were not family because we met in the same building, we ARE family because we are children of the Living God, we are brothers and sisters in faith. We care about each other. We help each other. We look out for each other. We serve one another. That doesn't stop because we don't show up during the week at the same address. 

My last blog was "The God Who Sees Me." I had reached a point of emotional exhaustion in another situation. I clearly knew that God was telling me, "you can guard your heart so that you are not so exposed to the hurt, but I do not release you from reconciliation." There is still work to be done. We live to fight another day!

So yes, guard your heart for a season, but God hasn't released us from the ministry of reconciliation. He has not released us from our calling. He has not released us from trusting. 

So tell your heart to beat again! Yes, it's hard. We're there together -- having to find a new place to worship, having to learn all of those new names and new stories. But the biggest one is learning to trust someone again with your heart. You are not alone. Over and over and over again, God has told us not to be afraid. Joshua 1:9 goes even further. "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go." 

I will never forget. I taught a new members class once and the topic was forgiveness. A young man who was a new believer made a profound observation about the love and grace of God and the magnitude of His forgiveness. In the moment that we confess our sin, God already knows that we will sin again, and yet, He still forgives us and trusts us with His heart. He opens Himself up to love us in spite of the hurt that will come. 

Let God heal your heart, but don't stay guarded and build walls around your heart, around your children, around your family. There is hard work before us. God will be our strength. There are still people who need to hear the gospel, people that need prayer, people that need to see transformed lives and need to have their lives transformed. Tell your heart to beat again! 

Love you family! :)

CLICK HERE to watch lyric video of "Tell your heart to beat again" by Danny Gokey.