I Cried in Church

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vxhY9-oMVRc

Here in the Presence ~ Elevation Worship

Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. ~ John 4:23 NIV

Crying is an act of vulnerability; it opens your heart to love and intimacy.

Last Sunday was like many others: I expected God to speak to me, but I didn't expect Him to touch my heart. Pastor Dave's sermon, though always good, was bolder and more urgent than usual. He spoke about how the Pharisees knew Jesus was giving them a warning, but still they hardened their hearts and turned from Him. Pastor Dave prayed that God would show us where we'd begun hardening our hearts and that we'd allow God to soften them, again.

After prayer, the worship team played, "Here in the Presence." I don't know at what point God touched my heart—the spot of pain that I'd tried to cover up—but a tear trickled down. It was followed by another and another until all I could do was cry. I realized that I'd tried to swallow some pain and disappointment. I hadn't shared it with anyone, not even Jesus. He didn't want that area of my heart to grow hard, so Jesus touched me. Through my tears, I apologized for not sharing my pain with Him, for trying to handle it on my own. He forgave me and healed my heart. In place of the pain was relief, because I didn't have to carry it and I wasn't alone.

If there's pain or disappointment—past or present—that you've been carrying, or trying to hide, it's time to give it to Jesus.  Allow Him to touch your heart and heal you. And remember, it's OK to cry, even—or especially—in church.

When was the last time God touched your heart?

©Heather Potts 2019

White Release

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YNqo4Un2uZI&list=RDJgdnN5fvZfQ&index=3

It is Well ~ Kristene DiMarco

Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows … ~ Isaiah 53: 4 NKJV

Coming back to my hometown, Brad was especially concerned that dark shadows may be lurking around some corners. Fortunately, that hasn’t been the case. But a few days ago, something unexpected happened that dredged up muck from the pit and past. I didn’t realize it was upsetting me till today. I pulled into our parking lot, left a message asking a friend for prayer, and got out of my car.  As I walked toward our apartment in the falling snow, I felt the soft, white release. I felt God’s gentle reminder that He’s already healed me, taking away all the fear and shame.

Walking in the snow, I felt as free as a child, God’s child.

Are there burdens or unexpected old muck weighing on you? You don’t have to let fear, shame, or pain drag you into the pit. You can be free, feeling as light-weight as gently falling snow.

Father, thank you for the reminder that You’ve already paid for and taken it all for me. I pray that anyone who desires the freedom and peace You offer would give You everything, so You can wash them as white as snow. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

… And by His stripes we are healed. ~ Isaiah 53:5 NKJV

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-FHwdx5BIvc&start_radio=1&list=RD-FHwdx5BIvc

Jesus Paid It All ~ Kristian Stanfill

©Heather Potts 2019

Let's Get Real

“The heart is hopelessly dark and deceitful,
    a puzzle that no one can figure out.
But I, God, search the heart
    and examine the mind.
I get to the heart of the human.
    I get to the root of things.
I treat them as they really are,
    not as they pretend to be.”

~ Jeremiah 17:9-10 MSG

The key to managing your emotions is to acknowledge your real emotions ~ Julia Mateer, Life-Giving Leadership, A Toolbox for Leading Women

I like this quote by Julia Mateer, because we sometimes get so caught up in what we should or shouldn’t be doing or feeling regarding others that we never deal with our real emotions. A couple of months ago I was sharing some frustrations with a friend and mentor and said, “I’m trying to give grace and not make waves…” And that’s where she stopped me and said, “But it bothers you a lot when it happens.” When I said yes, she said, “Then say that. Say, ‘It bothers me’ or ‘My feelings are hurt when…’” She said if I never confessed and dealt with my real feelings, I wasn’t doing myself or the other person any favors.

God’s been dealing with me a lot this year, beginning very boldly on January 1, by telling me this would be a year of digging out any impurities in my heart. He went on to say that in order for me to receive the blessings and favor He would rain down, my heart had to be ready. What I’ve learned is that things that I thought were OK, even synonymous with being a redhead, are not any part of God’s design for me. Even though it’s been hard to hear at times, the one thing I can depend upon with God is that He’ll be “real” with me. And He wants me to be “real” with Him.

If you’ve been hurt by someone, you aren’t offering grace by side-stepping the issue.  Grace isn’t ignoring what happened; it’s not burying it under the rug or stuffing hurt feelings. Grace, mercy, love, and forgiveness enable you to say, “Those actions hurt me. But just as God has forgiven me, I choose to forgive you, relinquishing my right to punish you.” The pain might not go away overnight, and that’s ok. The first step toward freedom is acknowledging your real emotions and asking God to guide you the rest of the way.

©Heather Potts 2016