Do fear and anxiety follow you like a shadow? What hangs around your neck and threatens to suffocate you especially in the quiet and the loneliness of the night? What is written on your heart?

There are things that we let consume us. Things that can take over our thoughts and occupy our hearts. These can be good things and they most certainly be bad things, things that rob of us peace and joy. Things that rob us of the wonderful gift of a good night’s sleep. I am speaking from experience, my friends.

Whatever plagues you, whatever consumes your thoughts, whatever fills your mind whether good or evil is “written on the tablet of your heart.”

The author of Proverbs, probably King Solomon, says what should take this place in our hearts, should be hung from our necks, and should follow us wherever we go . . .

Love and faithfulness (NIV). Loyalty and kindness (NLT). Steadfast love and faithfulness (ESV). Grace and truth (CJB). Mercy and truth (NKJV). Kindness and truth (ASV).

I love the New Living Translation of these two verses:

Never let loyalty and kindness leave you! Tie them around your neck as a reminder. Write them deep within your heart. Then you will find favor with both God and people, and you will earn a good reputation.
Proverbs 3:3-5 NLT

Saying it seems simple enough. But why is it so hard?

Because this goes against the world and what we see all around us. Stress, fear, anxiety, depression, greed, pride, being consumed with self are what the world would feed us- to our destruction. Living a life fueled by love and faithfulness (grace, truth, mercy, steadfast love) is like salmon swimming upstream. Isn’t it?

But . . . the reward is God’s favor.

And also, the favor of men?

It’s true. God calls us to be different, to be salmon swimming upstream, to write something different on our hearts. He wants us to stand out. Why? Because people are suffering, and He wants to draw them to Himself. Just as He is doing for you and for me.

So, today, let love and faithfulness be what you seek. Tie them around your neck. Seek them in everything that you do. God sees you.

And so do the people around you.

Heidi xoxo