Locating Our Heart - HOW?

Have you ever found yourself in a situation that you didn’t choose? Maybe someone put you on the spot to answer a question that you really didn’t want to answer, or to give your opinion about something that you don’t want to share.

What do you do?

If you don’t say anything, it could be perceived that you agree with them. On the other hand if you give your opinion and it isn’t what they want to hear, you can become a target, being viewed as part of the problem that is irritating them!

Chances are that we ALL have found ourselves in this predicament at one time or another… and most likely will again!

So what can we do to be prepared for the next time?

I have learned a lot by reading the Bible and seeing how Jesus handled difficult interactions! He was great at diffusing situations that He was constantly put in by all kinds of different people who really didn’t care what He thought as long as He would agree with them. He would speak a parable that was relevant to the situation at hand or He would simply ask them very direct questions. Either way, He was a master at locating their hearts and showing them the truth about the situation, their part in it, and why they should pause and rethink what they were doing.

His unshakable character, knowing who He was as well as Whose He was, gave Him an undeniable authority in meeting every challenge with TRUTH! For us, it awakens an irresistible desire to have that kind of confidence in the way that we deal with challenges that come our way.

So let’s focus on the importance of character in the midst of those uncomfortable challenges!

There are a lot of working pieces that contribute to the end result that we call character. As you will see, there are attributes of good character and bad character. I think it is important to note that there are no neutral attributes of character because we will line up one way or the other by our actions. Our actions will reveal what we really believe more than our words will.

VIRTUE (moral excellence)

OR

VICE (moral depravity, corruption)

***

VALUE (to regard, esteem or attribute worth to something)

OR

DISVALUE (disregard, disesteem)

***

PRINCIPLE (code of conduct as prescribed by God through his Divine will)

OR

LAWLESS (unruly, unrestrained, rebellious)

***

CHARACTER

(featured attributes that make up and distinguish a person; conforms to a standard of right and wrong)

GOOD (moral, honest, appropriate

OR

BAD (immoral, evil, wicked}

>Because Christ knew who He was…

He didn’t try to be or have to be something He wasn’t. He didn’t shift with the emotion of any confrontation, follow the popular opinions of the culture of His day, or allow His preferences to mislead Him. He didn’t work to please people. HE WAS VIRTUOUS!

>Because Christ knew WHOSE He was…

He loved His Father and so He obeyed His Father, working to please Him only. He knew why the Father had sent Him and He stayed the course of that calling no matter what came His way. He didn’t worry about what people thought of Him. HE ASCRIBED VALUE TO HIS FATHER!

>Because Christ came with undeniable power and authority…

that the Father had given Him, He trusted Him in and with all things through prayer and with action as directed. HE WAS PRINCIPLED!

What about us - do we have that kind of confidence and character that Christ had in any and every situation?

It depends on our relationship with the Father through trusting Christ and if we choose to live in the virtue, values, and principles that He has given to us!

This importance of growing in Godly (good) character and understanding the value and depth of His promises became real to me as I was studying 2 Peter 1:1-11! By His amazing grace, He has granted to each of us the qualities we are encouraged to grow in to keep us from stumbling!

I decided to take a deep dive and start teaching and sharing this chapter from the Greek Root Definitions in the REFRESH part of the Lovesong Success Path! It has been a humbling revelation that has sparked some great conversations as well as some hope and encouragement for the times that we are living in!

As the Lovesong Family continues to study this together, I can see that it will serve us well to always remember that:

1- God is for us as we trust Him

2- Christ has shown us how to obey

I am convinced that if we trust and obey Him, He will help us to

LOCATE OUR HEARTS

and guide us to where they should be in every situation!

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