Dear Determined Heart,
What is a woman with a determined heart? What does that even mean? Determined to be a good wife? Determined to love? To work hard? What?
Hello dear ones. I want to start this letter with the example of a woman that also had to have a determined heart. After years of marriage (which most women think would be the best thing in the world), she and her husband came to a standstill, ending in a messy divorce and her losing custody of her children. Now I know in society the woman is often viewed as the innocent party, but this woman would clearly say today, that she was the one that needed to change her life. She couldn’t put the blame on anyone, but herself. Because of these life changing circumstances, her heart felt broken and empty. She started to feel alone and depressed, unsure of what she would do in the future.
Any one of us would feel this way, like there is nothing left to live for and their whole world was falling apart. But her story didn’t end there. As time slowly progressed, she determined in her heart to make changes in her life. She now says that she is on a “honeymoon” with Jesus. After the divorce, Jesus was the only one that could fill the gaps of her heart left by the removal of her husband and children. Only in Christ, she found comfort, healing, direction, and purpose again. Her relationship with Christ had become so precious to her that she felt that every moment with him was like a honeymoon.
(This is not my story. It is from Leslie Ludy’s “Lady in Waiting: Becoming God’s Best While Waiting for Mr. Right.” A book I highly recommend to any growing teen girl or young adult single woman who one day wants to get married or find a Godly boyfriend.)
This type of relationship with Christ doesn’t come cheaply, but the high price that had to be paid was worth the end result in this beautiful woman’s life. Her life was forever changed because she had a “determined heart” to recklessly abandon her life to Christ. She had to lose everything before she realized that she needed Christ to be the focus of her life.
Are you like this lady, waiting for everything to fall apart before you realize your need for God? Or are you willing to look at her example and determine to surrender yourself to him without having to deal with those types of difficult circumstances? The depth of your relationship with God is up to you. God has no favorites; the choice to surrender is yours.
“It will require a determined heart and more than a little courage to wrench ourselves loose from the grip of our times and return to Biblical ways.” –A.W. Tozer
Isn’t that the truth.
Ruth also had to have a determined heart to change her life. She didn’t let her friends, family, old surroundings, or her culture’s religion keep her from totally surrendering her life and running after God. She also didn’t let the idea of a dark past keep her from looking forward to a bright future that could only begin by first making some difficult, but necessary, changes. (Remember that doesn’t mean that God is going to require for every young girl or woman to move away from their home or friends, it is just a choice to say “yes” to God on a daily basis. But if that does mean you need to move, then make sure you obey.)
The saddest thing one meets is a nominal Christian. — Amy Carmicheal
Don’t settle for a mediocre relationship with Jesus. Determine right now to work towards that “honeymoon” type of relationship with Jesus Christ. Courageously determine to pursue Jesus with your whole heart, soul, and mind like the woman in the story. This relationship with Christ that fills all the gaps in your heart starts with each and every one of us making the personal decision to recklessly abandon our lives and futures to Him. That is the first step to becoming a woman of faith, patience, security, contentment, and so many more amazing attributes that God wants to provide for us. But they can only be discovered in the radical way of growing closer to your heavenly Bridegroom, Christ.
What is your desire today? Do you have that irresistible desire to recklessly abandon your life to Jesus Christ today? What’s holding you back? Don’t you want a relationship with Him? Determine in your heart to start your honeymoon season of life with Christ today.
Signing off,
Tami