Heart Conditions

I’ve aged. Now I don’t think I’m old yet, but I’ve aged. I know this because my parents are beginning to have health issues that they’ve never experienced before.

 

555540_3503136384467_1904624890_nBoth Mom and Dad have had angiograms recently. Turns out Dad has a blockage that is treatable with medication. Mom on the other hand will also start taking medication, but yesterday she had to have 2 stents placed in the arteries of her heart. With a family history of heart issues, we know what is going to happen. Along with medication, diet and exercise are going to be implemented. We will know more about her situation today after the doctor’s visit with her.

 

For Mom and Dad, these procedures were precautionary. Neither of them had any heart attack symptoms, they just felt tired. These preventative angiograms have given them the opportunity to care for their hearts and to keep them healthy. How blessed we are to live in this day of medicine!

 

While heart issues have the potential to be serious, I believe our spiritual heart issues are even more serious. I also believe that we can take some lessons from these experiences that relate to our spiritual hearts.

 

Prevention

Jeremiah 17:9 (NIV) says it best. “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?” Our hearts will tend to sway toward the evil of this world. Therefore, we must be sure to keep evil at bay.

 

King Solomon realized how the heart can be temperamental. His advice toward the heart can be found in Proverbs 4:23 (NIV). “Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.”

 

When we understand what our heart is capable of, then we have the opportunity to guard it.

 

Pro-action

Sometimes heart conditions can be cured with medication. Spiritual heart conditions can be cured with medication as well. Jesus. A good dose of His love and grace, supplement that with a little soul searching on your own and your heart condition will begin to heal itself.

 

Psalm 139:23-24 (NIV) asks for a heart checkup. “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” When we are willing to allow God to work in our hearts, the junk build up in our hearts will begin to disappear.

 

Proverbs 3:5-6 and Proverbs 15:13-15 offers more good medication to take to move toward a healthy heart.

 

Diet

This is a word that lots of people have grown to hate, but in the case for a healthy heart, it’s vital. The same can be said for our spiritual heart. What we feed our hearts will come forth. Jesus told us about it. “But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart…” (Matthew 15:13 – NIV)

 

What are we to feed our heart? Peter mentions that we are to “crave pure spiritual milk.” (2 Peter 2:2) Jeremiah ate the Words of God and found “they were my joy and heart’s delight.” (Jeremiah 15:16) Then we see that we are to joyful (Philippians 4:4); we are not to be anxious (Philippians 4:6); and we are to think about the good things of life (Philippians 4:8).

 

These are just a few suggestions to add to your daily diet of spiritual heart health. If you need more suggestions, just ask!

 

Exercise

UGH! No one wants to hear this word, but just as exercise is important for our physical health, we find exercise can be a huge benefit for our spiritual hearts. And just how do we do that?

 

We follow the example of some of our favorite biblical friends. Paul and Silas encountered such a group in Berea. This group of believers not only heard the message and took it to heart, they studied God’s Word. Take a look at Acts 17:11 (NIV). “Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.” Now that is spiritual exercise!

 

Paul encouraged his spiritual son Timothy to do the same in 2 Timothy 2:15 (NIV). “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.”

 

We can use these examples for our own lives. Do you study God’s Word so that you know how to use it in your day-to-day life? Do you examine the Scriptures to see if what you hear or learn is in line with God’s truth? These are spiritual exercises that must be done on a regular (daily) basis. With this added effort, you too will be counted among the noble characters.

 

Jesus shared some ideas about heart issues in His Sermon on the Mount. In Matthew 5:21-30, Jesus used examples of physical sins but turned them internal. He showed how just thinking of these things caused us to sin in our hearts. That’s a big deal.

 

How many times have I thought ill thoughts toward someone? More than I’d like to admit. And while I never took any action on these thoughts, my heart had been hardened and I sinned. That’s the message Jesus was sharing. Our hearts matter. They matter deeply to Jesus.

 

So if they matter to Him, they should matter to us. We should do everything in our power to guard them. And then, when we can’t do another thing, we need to offer it to Jesus and allow Him to continue the work.

 

Mom and Dad will be okay. They need to make a few changes and their lives will be filled with activity yet again. Thank you for your prayers. They are much appreciated!

 

Life will be different around our households from this point forward. The health of our parents will dictate what we eat, what we do, and how we do it all. But the good news is that they are going to be okay. They will work toward healthy hearts.

 

So how’s your heart? Are you struggling with some heart issues? If so, I know a Great Physician who would love to treat your heart condition. Let’s give Him a call!

 

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

 

Donna

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