Devotions from Judy’s heart

Yesterday as we were at worship and Pastor Judy was saying the liturgy, something leaped out at me. I hear this every Sunday but all of sudden it was speaking to me. “Almighty God, to whom all hearts are open, all desires known and from whom no secrets are hid…” I started thinking of how God knows the inner heart of every single person, including me. I may think I know what is in my heart some of the time, but truly only He knows.  A short while later at our brunch to welcome our new pastor, a friend asked me about our Christmas etc. When I told her my dad died, tears filled my eyes, and I told her we would have to talk about it another time. Now just yesterday I was thinking how much my heart had healed over dad’s death and I could talk about it to others. Now all of a sudden I get choked up. I truly don’t know my heart.  But when we go through sorrows, it has a way of making us more sensitive to others and their needs. Later I sat at a table and listened with empathy to a friend who shared what she was going through. In the afternoon I read from a devotional given to me by my mom’s dear friend. The author, Paul Keller, says to recover from our sorrow, we need to see the goodness of God. “A thankful heart is an open heart, a positive heart, a heart that is able to receive mercy and to heal. “ We heal as we are able to be grateful for the blessings of God given to us. We can grow spiritually in our sorrows by giving thanks to God. I’m so thankful He knows me inside and out and His mercy and grace is always there in abundance. Let us be generous with our hearts and stay open to Him.