The Power of a Tender Heart
Over time, the path of following Jesus has taken me into many different expressions of the Body of Christ. I’ve seen the beauty of those expressions over the years, and I’ve learned a great deal from each one of them. It has been a blessing to experience the presence of the Lord in many different settings with each one expressing some dimension of His power. That power can look like a quieted, peaceful heart letting go of the distractions and the chaos of the world. His power can also look like a heart being healed as one untangles from offense and bitterness. It can even look like the joining together of hearts from various experiences and backgrounds as believers embrace being family, enjoying the strengthening and love of relationships that are bound together by a shared commitment to Jesus.
The common thread that is woven into all of these examples is a heart that is tender in the Lord. Of course, having a tenderized heart isn’t a one-time choice. It requires a daily journey with the Lord as we submit our hearts to Him. Several years ago, I latched onto a couple of phrases that have been anchors for my own heart. If I wanted a healthy heart, I would need to practice vulnerability and boasting in my weakness. These two anchors don’t feel very powerful when confronted with my own shortcomings. They actually feel like I’m moving in the opposite direction and becoming weaker! It’s not comfortable, that’s for sure. However, as I’ve submitted to this Spirit-led practice, I’ve seen how the Lord’s strength finds a place to land on my vulnerabilities and weaknesses. I’ve experienced a greater sense, and a more lasting sense, of His power as I’ve allowed the cross to convict me and till the soil of my heart. When Jesus explains the parable of the sower, He gives the example of the rocky soil. This is a heart that does not have depth. It hasn’t submitted to the pain of tilling. It lives in the place of receiving and excitement, but this heart won’t endure trials. Ouch…that explains a lot of how I have lived in the Lord. It isn’t fun to admit it, but it is true.
So, the real journey to experiencing His power has been in the uncomfortable posture of dying to self, recognizing my own internal messiness, and embracing the beauty of repentance. The more I allow the Lord to enlighten the eyes of my heart, the more I see how beautiful Jesus is. His grace and mercy are a welcomed healing balm, allowing me to live more fully in the new heart of flesh that comes from Him. A circumcised, tender heart is a powerful heart. It allows one to encounter the tender mercies of the Lord, have compassion for those who are hurting, and see beyond selfish gain and ambitions. This is the power of Christ that is being formed in His people, and that work can never be taken from us. It is the power that will enable us to endure to the end.
The beauty of this process is that it brings us even closer to Jesus. When we submit our hearts to His transformation, we are building a history with the One who loves us completely.
“ Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, but when the sun rose they were scorched. And since they had no root, they withered away…As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a little while and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away.” Matthew 13:5,20)
