What we hold in our hearts, shapes us. That’s why God wants to make sure that everything we hold here, including what we hide, passes His inspection. So He invites us to:
What part of His complete inspection are you afraid of? That’s where you start, because a change in your heart there will bring all the other changes that will heal, help, and direct.
The prophet says to come four ways.
1. Come fasting.
What do you need to take out of your life so that you can hear better? It can be an activity or an attitude. It can be something your body doesn’t need more of in order to give God time to nourish your spirit. Don’t just do without something for forty days.
There is no spiritual growth in self-deprivation. Fast something in order to feast on what God would give instead.
2. Come weeping.
When was the last time you wept over what hurts God’s heart? We usually weep more readily about what hurts ours. See the difference? The closer you align your heart to God’s heart, the more sensitive you are to the words and actions that malign God’s character.
3. Come mourning.
We do not know how to mourn the broken places of our lives. God isn’t trying to shame us with this sorrowful remembering. He wants us to acknowledge them so that He can heal them, forgive them, and restore you in the process.
4. Tear your hearts not your clothes.
In other words, don’t parade your grief over sin and brokenness. Take it to God. Agree with His perspective. Don’t put words in His mouth but let Him put new words in yours. Confess where you have chosen what you might call a rational, logical understanding about yourself or anything else going on in this world. Let God be brutally honest with you so that you can live His abundance in your heart.
This is our Lent mandate. This is the way to prepare our hearts for the Truth God wants to share in the next 40 days. If we dare to do the heart-work, God will bring the healing, the forgiveness, the freedom, and the empty tomb!
If you want to take your journey further, I have prepared a week by week Lenten guide: "Forty Days: A Time to Prepare." You can get a copy of week one by clicking here.
