HEARTFELT COUNSEL
TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
The heartfelt counsel of a friend is as sweet as perfume and incense.
Proverbs 27:9 NLT
TODAY’S THOUGHT
We were created to live in community. I have often said, “Life is too tough to do alone.”
Many people seem to think they can do life on their own. In the church world there are those who like to say things like, “All I need is Jesus.” While that may sound spiritual, it is not biblical.
The Bible says that as followers of Christ we are the body of Christ. We are each different parts of the body, but we are one body. Each part of the body only functions when it is connected to other parts of the body. If we disconnect our finger from our body the finger dies—but the body can survive.
To have authentic, healthy relationships we must be willing to initiate those relationships. We can’t wait on others to invite us into their world. It is difficult to initiate relationships because we’re afraid of being rejected, manipulated, hurt, or used.
If we live long enough, we will be rejected, manipulated, hurt, and used. If we don’t allow the Holy Spirit to heal our wounded heart, we find ourselves with a hard heart. That is a dangerous place. We lose the ability to connect with others because of our hard heart.
God wants to place people in our life who will be “heartfelt counsel” to us. People who love us and are honest with us. People who want our best.
Sometimes we must pray hard against anger, hurt, and desires for revenge. We must lean into the redemptive work of the Holy Spirit to cleanse our heart and give us a tender heart.
TODAY’S PRAYER
Holy Spirit help me to open my heart to authentic meaningful relationships. I need You to work in me so that I can be a friend to have a friend.
“Scroll down to share what you feel God is saying based on today’s reading.”
I refuse to allow a hard heart to grwo in my life.
I want To be a good person who exemplifies the love of Christ .