"A Challenged Heart" A guest post by Brooke Church

Proverbs 4:23 "Keep your heart with all diligence,

For out of it spring the issues of life." (NKJV)

You just got your heart broken. Consequently, walls have been built up around your heart. It is not easy to open up a broken heart until your best friend climbs over those walls and holds you like a nurturing care-giver. At that time, it would be easy to open your heart and let it pour out through words without hesitation. It is easy to keep an open heart when you feel appreciated, protected and safe or when everyone is getting along.

What about other times? For example, when terrorists crash planes into your country’s landmarks and kills thousands of innocent people, when your abusive mother abandons you, when your spouse tells you they don’t love you anymore…is it easy to pour out your heart when it aches from loss, longing, abandonment and betrayal?  The simple answer is no, but I want to tell you how to keep your heart open even when it feels threatened.

When a person feels like closing their heart because of feeling angry or victimized by the actions of someone, that is the time to begin to address the suffering that person may be going through. Instead of judging, criticizing or dismissing them, find within yourself the ability to recognize how much pain they may be in, how burdened their soul must be in order for them to act out against their own integrity. Approach that person in an understanding way with an open heart, knowing that we all have wounds and we are all flawed but are doing the best we can.

Keeping an open heart with someone that is acting in a way that isn’t in line with how you know them doesn’t mean you are condoning their behavior. It simply means you are giving extreme compassion and in return that brings peace and joy into your life. It keeps away emotions such as anger and revenge as well as keeps you out of an egotistical mindset. It is much easier to feel angry or upset when we don’t get our way or when someone hurts us but when someone hurts us is usually when they need love the most. Be a comforter, be a listener, be a friend and confidant, but most of all show them what an open heart looks like.

Brooke is a single mom to two wonderful kids and a member of First Baptist Church of Woodstock for the last 20 years.  She enjoys living life to the fullest and encouraging others along the way!  

You can connect with Brooke on Twitter @KBofGA or on her blog: http://www.daysbecomememories.blogspot.com/