Prodigal: I don’t know if I like these flowers.
Me: Someone spent a lot of time on them.
Prodigal: I guess I didn’t think of that.
Me: We need to watch our hearts.
This is from the book Reclaiming Your Heart by Denise Hildreth Jones
A critical heart can also be a by-product of disappointment and can coexist with other hearts. Disappointed hearts can easily become angry, isolated, or viciously critical. When someone has repeatedly broken our trust, when we’ve been perpetually over-looked for that job we wanted, or when we’ve been let down by people who should have had our backs, disappointment is a natural response. And when we refuse to deal with that disappointment by releasing it to our Father through honest prayer, praise, and singing, the disappointment can reveal itself in a critical spirit.
And though these criticisms are mostly targeted at the person we are disappointed with, that isn’t always the case. An innocent party close at hand might just become an easy target for our frustration. Or sometimes, when we do criticize the person who let us down, the criticism may bear little ration to the offense.
As the words pour our of our broken, wounded souls, they hurt those we’re criticizing but also reflect the true state of our hearts–because every time we open our mouths, we choose what will come out. Proverbs 18:21 states succinctly: “Words kill, words give life; they’re either poison or fruit–you choose”
You have been disappointed. You were suppose to be able to trust these people. They in turn hurt you to continue to try, and win an argument. They did not try to love, instead they wanted to just win. The enemy would like you to become bitter. All day yesterday, it was up, and down. You would forgive, but then you would remember. Keep trying to turn to Christ. It may take every day this week but try to win the battle of forgiveness. It is important that you are not critical right now. Satan would like a critical heart to take over so that you do not give grace, and show the Lord’s glory to others.
That they may walk in my statues, and keep mine ordinances, and do them: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God.
Ezekiel 11:20
Jennifer Van Allen
www.theprodigalpig.com
www.faithincounseling.org
