Hearts.

Hearts are broken.

Broken to begin with, in fact. Throughout life, circumstances you are in and decisions you make either begin to temporarily mend that broken heart, or further tear it into two. In some cases, you don’t have control over what happens. Yet at the same time, you have full control. Nothing but control, actually.

You see, the control lies within your heart, & you are the moderator. Will you choose to be encouraging or discouraging, joyful or bitter, confident or insecure? These are the simple questions that many people ask themselves throughout the day. Here’s the thing: you have full control over those little things.

No, not control over whether your heart is broken or not, all hearts are broken to begin with. We live in a broken world.

Control over whether or not you choose joy. Control over whether or not you strive to do or say things that will ultimately lead to the only one who can stitch it back up. Control over whether or not you will give your beautifully, precious, imperfect heart to the only one who can mend it.

No matter who you are — there is a battle, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, over your heart. While you’re awake, while you’re asleep, & while you’re somewhere between, there is an enemy on the move.

He’s doing all he can to take your heart captive.

However, we have control over whether or not we call upon the one who will help us, Isaiah 41:10 say, “. . . I will help you.”

So yes, there is a battle all day long and all night long over our hearts + the enemy never stops.

But wait. You stop for a second. Who is that enemy fighting against?

Do you not know? Have you not heard?

Jesus, the Son of God, who created us, already won the battle on a cross, almost 2000 years ago, with nails in his hands and feet. Yet He still fights. Every second, for your heart.

Make no mistake, he spares no second. Not only does he ensure you are safe right now in this moment, he also fights to capture your heart to keep it as his own.

He desires you.

We were designed to love, and to be loved. We were fashioned, through Christ to be considerate, compassionate, and caring.

However, there are times when we fall to the ground, thinking we’re unable to fight any longer, but that is not true. That’s probably the #1 lie we so easily believe. Yes, this is a real battle. The most real battle in the history of all battles. But something happens when we choose to love.

Something happens, almost unexplainable. It’s not completely unexplainable though. It’s Jesus.

Because we live in a broken world, there is a point and time in every single life when hurt creeps into a heart, attempting to steal any ounce of joy it may find, tearing it apart in the process.

Hurt runs deep and stretches wide. One of the only things you can do about it, is love. Coincidentally, love, is the name of God. His name, is the definition of love.

Whatever the past may have looked like, we can’t go back and change it. The past cannot be undone. And that’s a hard reality.

Love needs to dominate our actions.

Love . . . love. That’s what we were fashioned to do, right?!

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Sometimes, a harsh reaction tears apart an already torn heart.

Sometimes, a lack of attention and understanding can tear apart an already torn heart.

Sometimes, an annoyed look can tear apart an already torn heart.

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But get this.

Every time, a loving tone is one step closer to stitching up a torn heart.

Every time, full attention and a sense of understanding strives to stitch up broken hearts.

Every time, a heartfelt “I love you” displays the very present unconditional love of God.

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Today, seek to redirect your tone. Seek to understand hearts. Seek to say “I love you” even when it’s hard.

Seek to mend, the broken H E A R T S .