Those Hearts of Ours

Last night my heart just wasn't right...I used the word tangled. It is amazing what happens to the rest of me when my heart isn't just right. I just wasn't myself all day, and it affected everything I did or tried to do. Thus the reason I couldn't write. It is no wonder God warns us to "guard our hearts". 
So how do I go about guarding my heart? The first thing I had to do was turn it over to Christ.
But once I did that, I need to continually allow God to search it, cleanse it, and renew it.
I need to recognize when it is tangled. Our heart can get tangled up with our spiritual beliefs, our knowledge, our emotions and our own will. If I try to untangle it, it can get even more tangled. Kind of like some thin gold chains I have. If I am not careful with them, they get all tangled, and I try to pull it apart and it becomes worse. Eventually I go back to the source, and begin to unravel it. I think we need to do that with our tangled hearts too. What is the source? Is God trying to show me something, or am I allowing things of this world to take me off center?
In order to guard my heart I need to watch my focus. And I need to stay in the Word. If I start to focus on the things of this world I know my heart will follow. I believe my heart can deceive me.
For me, what starts in the heart, heads to the mind. I believe my mind can fertilize it and make it grow. So, whether it is negative or positive it will take root in my mind.
So, last night, when my heart was tangled, I went to the Lord in prayer. He knew my emotions, knew my beliefs and he knew what my knowledge was telling me. He untangled the mess, and reminded me of my faith and hope. Is all my hurt gone? No. But it isn't all tangled in there, it is there reminding me of what we face...and that we have a Comforter who takes care of our hearts.
So, tonight I can share my tangles..and God's untangling.
"You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." Jeremiah 29:13
May you find salt and light in my words.