I recently ran across a statement in a fictional book that struck a chord with me. It was discussing the conflict around making difficult decisions and facing problems in life.
“There’s a test for every man and woman. They’re all different, but they all require your heart.”
I firmly believe that our Heavenly Father knows us personally. We were with Him before we came to this world. If faithful, we will return to live with Him after this world. He gave us the chance to have mortal bodies and dwell away from Him to grow: to experience knowledge and faith, to try that faith and determine our devotion to the things that truly matter. He places us exactly where we need to be, whether the road may seem smooth or rough, it is designed by the Master with us in mind.
Recently, we’ve talked about what is found in the heart of a disciple. It’s the things of the spirit that hold us to something of a higher plane. Where do these convictions come from? What turns our hearts away from the world? Believe or not, it’s the things we most try to avoid. It’s our trials and how we handle them. These things leave the deepest impressions that carry us through and draw us closer to Jesus Christ.
So, what does the disciple do? If our biggest challenge in this life is how we face our, well, challenges. What makes the difference? The disciple’s heart.
In the scriptures, the heart is at the core of what our Father in Heaven asks of us. His holy words refer to it as a “broken heart and contrite spirit”. It is the act of turning our will over to Him. It is having our hearts softened to His gospel. It is humbly pursuing His course for our lives with faith in His promises. That is the essence of the disciple’s heart.
If our focus and intent is to bring ourselves closer to a Christ-like life, we face challenges with a willing heart—one that is softened and opened to God’s will and guidance.
When times of trial come, the most important step we can take is to go to the Lord and say, “I don’t know what is to come, I don’t know where I must place my feet to move through this successfully, but I give You my heart. I’m willing to try following you and trust in Your care through this trial.” It’s not always easy to do. If it were, it probably wouldn’t carry the deep blessings that it does. When we manage to offer a willing heart, even when we don’t know what the outcome will be, it opens up the possibility of peace, comfort and guidance through the Spirit. These same blessings cannot come from the heart that is closed and focused only on the trial; the pain and confusion it brings.
That’s the challenge and the blessing of this life. It’s our ability to say: “I understand I have a path to walk, a trial specific to my needs and strengths. I give You my willing heart. Take me on Your path, where ever it may lead.”
