I’ve heard many lasting love stories from people that say they weren’t expecting to fall in love. Many would confirm that the reason their love is so special is because they met at a time when neither or at least one of them weren’t looking for love; it just happened. Some would argue that it doesn’t matter if one is looking for love or not, as long as when they find it, they keep the flame of their love burning a lifetime.
Jeremiah 17:7-8(NIV) says, “7 But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. 8 They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.” God is love. Therefore, we know that love is indeed the Source of life’s vitality. Love is meant to last, because God’s love endures forever. The passage in Jeremiah 17:7-8 is such a yummy piece of truth because it informs us that our roots can be anchored in the love of God, so much so that everything we touch yields something pleasing to Him. The way to have this fruitful touch is to make sure our confidence is firmly planted in our Heavenly Father.
I think it’s safe to say that the number of Christian single people looking for love outweigh those that are not. Many of us are praying to God for a spouse, and we have been praying for an answer for quite some time. Through the prophet, Jeremiah, God has told us that trusting Him is our blessing, because He is a God that cannot fail. So, when it comes to the manifestation of our desires, a closer look at our own beliefs, actions, and attitudes is warranted. If we strip back all the layers in our hearts this very second, the truth will reveal that many of us are not fully trusting in God’s goodness. Deep down, many of us believe that for some reason God is keeping the blessing of a spouse from us. This belief blocks our faith, because it is a belief that isn’t based on God’s truth.
Through the prophet, Jeremiah, God also gives us more incredibly valuable information. Jeremiah 17:9 tells us that the heart of a person can be hopelessly dark and deceitful, that it’s a puzzle that no one can truly figure out or understand. We all think we know ourselves so well, but God knows us infinitely better. He knows every detail of our existence. He knows our motivation for every thought, feeling, word, or deed. The heart reveals what we’re really about, and sometimes it shows that we are more motivated by our own self-interest than we are by pleasing God and doing what He requires.
No single person can effectively demonstrate faith without the wisdom of the following verse in Jeremiah 17:10. It tells us that our extraordinary Heavenly Father searches our hearts and examines our minds. He does this to reward us according to our conduct; He rewards based on our true motives and intentions. Somehow, this revelation escapes many of us. We think He ought to reward us when we haven’t aligned our will with His Will. We expect the blessing when our hearts are still full of things like pride, selfishness, jealousy, and anger. He will not reward our bad behavior, but what He will do is help us expel these toxins from our lives.
2Corinthians 13:5(NIV) tells us, “Examine yourselves to see if your faith is genuine. Test yourselves.” This requires the courage to look in the mirror and to see ourselves honestly. The psalmist said in Psalm 139:23-24(NIV), “23 Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. 24 See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” This same attitude and mindset must be present in our hearts as we approach the throne of God in prayer and worship.
An inward look at our own hearts begins a sacred dialogue with God that should never end. With every spiritual elevation we undertake, there must be a willingness on our parts to seek God for clarity about what causes our hearts to be closed in some areas and open in others. We must invite Him to do a work within that will unveil healing revelation after revelation. We are His handiwork, and He wants to bring blessings into our lives, the kind that are expected and some that are delightfully unexpected. And although the unexpected are sweet surprises, they require us to stay prepared by increasing in the example of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. When we do this, we’ll have a heart that pleases God because it will be overflowing with His Word and love.■
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
“I Wasn’t Expecting It!”, written by Kim Times, edited by Reverend Fran Mack, for Sundie Morning Sistas. Copyright ©2020. All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord! SMS is dedicated to inspiring and encouraging Christian Women through the Word of God.