With all my heart

"But blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit."

Jeremiah 17:7-8

You know when those moments come where you feel totally helpless and life seems out of control? Those moments used to come a lot for me but as more time has passed, I am finding myself much stronger.

First, let me clarify that the strength that I've found is nothing I have done on my own. My strength comes from a much greater source and is more powerful than anything that I could accomplish.

I have learned to seek God with all of my heart. Thus the change in the title (for those who noticed) for my blog. It doesn't mean that I always get it right but I am learning to seek His voice, His truth above the noise. In order to align myself with Him, which is still my goal, I have to seek Him first with all my heart and surrender all of myself to Him.

Jeremiah 29:11-13 has always been a special verse to me but over the past year, it has been even more significant in my life. It has brought me a great amount of courage and comfort more than once and served as a reminder that God has a plan for my life if I choose to listen.

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. ¹² Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. ¹³ You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart."

Jeremiah 29:11-13

Now taking it back a few chapters, we see a very different side. When our strength comes from man, we are cursed.  When our heart is turned away from God and towards ourselves, we become "like a bush in the wasteland". We wither, dry up and die.

This is what the LORD says:

   "Cursed is the one who trusts in man,
   who draws strength from mere flesh
   and whose heart turns away from the LORD.
⁶ That person will be like a bush in the wastelands;
   they will not see prosperity when it comes.
They will dwell in the parched places of the desert,
   in a salt land where no one lives.

Jeremiah 17:1-6

Skip down a few verses and we are told that God examines our hearts and minds. He knows us inside and out. Though we may be able to fool those around us, we cannot fool God. He sees our deeds and hears our words and He rewards us accordingly. No one else can reward us. No one else has that kind of power. All good things come from God and God alone.

The heart is deceitful above all things
   and beyond cure.
   Who can understand it?

 ¹⁰ "I the LORD search the heart
   and examine the mind,
to reward each person according to their conduct,
   according to what their deeds deserve."

Jeremiah 17:9-10

We are told that those who trust in the Lord are blessed. Those whose confidence is solely in God will find contentment and peace. That is where my strength is found. My heart and mind are rooted in His truth and His promises. I have no reason to fear when the storms or droughts find their way into my life because my roots run deep. They run into the spring of Living Water.

⁷ "But blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD,
   whose confidence is in him.
⁸ They will be like a tree planted by the water
   that sends out its roots by the stream.
It does not fear when heat comes;
   its leaves are always green.
It has no worries in a year of drought
   and never fails to bear fruit."

Jeremiah 17:7-8



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