Heart to Heart Talk

Do you know the number #1, leading cause of death in the world?
It’s heart disease. Of all of the deaths attributed to heart disease, mainly heart attacks and stroke, 1/3rd of these deaths are preventable.

Do you know the top 3 excuses of people who resist implementing the lifestyle changes that would ensure a healthier heart? The largest group is people who already believe that they’re doing good enough. The next group simply don’t want to stop doing what they enjoy, and the last, largest group’s excuse is “I don’t have time.”

I can’t help but see a connection between physical and spiritual “heart” issues.

The fact of the matter is, we’re ALL born with a fatal heart issue called “sin”. The wages of sin is death and unlike heart attacks and stroke, sin’s death rate is always 100%.
Similar to life in the physical, most of us become aware of our bad hearts through some sort of reckoning: Some are presented The Gospel and are shown that their hearts are contrary toward God in the same way as someone who simply goes in for a checkup and find that their coronary test indicate problematic concerns.
Others have more “convicting” episodes: Experiencing something traumatic and calling to God out of desperation – just like a heart attack.

Both instances immediately confront us with the idea of a need for change. And that’s where our TRUE hearts are exposed. Once your eyes have been opened to the truth, the next move is yours.

Here’s The Word;

Matthew 6:21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

One of the most tragic things to see is someone who’s been made aware of their heart problem, but somehow they underestimate the gravity of the situation. They've allowed their personal desires to compromise them to the point that they don’t buckle down and apply the level of effort required for the benefits to be realized.
I’m starting to believe (or maybe just waking up and realizing) how much we absolutely love our distractions. If life can be about everything, or even anything else except me examining myself or looking into the law of liberty, testing the spirits, or guarding my heart diligently, then maybe it really doesn’t matter. …out of ‘heart’, out of mind. But in that, we can fool ourselves into “feeling” that we’re doing good enough all ready.

Just like bad diet habits. Our comfort with and desire to fulfill our mental picture of the ‘enjoyable life’ happens faster than we know. Of course, that inner voice chimes in with excuses “…I don’t exercise because it’s hard”. It’s hard is relative. Ever see someone without legs or any other compromised capabilities? They’re lives are harder than able-bodied people but they’re up every day overcoming in ways that tire us out to watch, all in an effort to assume some assemblance of normalcy. So many would rather settle for what comes easy just because it comes easy rather than work for better because it comes hard. Sounds like such a waste of the blessings of strength and sense we've been given. To assume that your heart can thrive in the throes of this world with no sense of diligent attention from you is the epitome of foolishness – physically AND spiritually.

And time. Always the great equalizer. I bet there are many people whose lives have been personally devastated by ‘heart disease’ that wouldn’t hesitate to trade one day of living in regret to go back and do all they could to prevent their current state. Is there any doubt?

As with all things – the fundamental reality with heart problems isn’t really the heart, its truth. If you can embrace the truth of the matter, all that comes after is circumstantial – if the heart is given improper attention (or denied proper attention) all that comes after is reactionary. Truth alignment is key.

Get your heart right. If you don’t know Christ as Savior, time is not on your side, just as if you have no idea about the physical heart condition, you’re gambling against a situation with no guarantees except one: You’ll regret not playing it smarter once you’ve lost.

Luke 21: 33-34 Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away. And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.


In Him,
Cros