Do you know how paper cuts can be the absolutely worst offenders on our skin? Strange really. And probably the exact opposite of what we would be prone to think.
Ironically, as I was already pondering this thought & the possible analogies, I guess I unconsciously decided to prove it to myself lol. My son broke one of my coffee mugs the other day and when I went to pick up the pieces, one of the sharp edges cut the palm of my hand. A seemingly teeny cut has produced a constant annoyance of blood and a surprisingly consistent irritating pain. Of course it could be the precarious location of the cut and it’s interference with daily tasks.
Can’t life be like just like that? It is often the seemingly insignificant tiny matters that are the culprits of the biggest irritants and distractions on a consistent basis; the little weeds that choke the life right out of us if we allow it. Many times this is caused by unmet expectations. We all have them and should check our hearts regularly for them.
“The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful” ~Matthew 13:22
We could go so many different directions with this analogy. So, we will revisit from another angle in a separate blog. For now we continue the analogy with it’s relation to a tear in the heart. Even with the heart tear analogy I feel like it could have different meanings: A tear caused by a small offense or a linage of small offenses over time. Or, even worse, a heart tear from the infectious spread of heartache that happens due to unmet expectations. However, I believe the worst offender yet to be the seemingly smallest tear in your heart that happens as a result of an unconscious letdown of your guard because hope and desire finally overcame fear and reservation.
You know what I’m talking about. You unconsciously hung your heart out on your sleeve for just a short time and then bam, it got clobbered! Then it moves straight into gut-wrenching pain and heartache. There’s those unmet expectations in action again. Often these can be cured by simply engaging better communication.
So, is the solution to keep your heart on lockdown? The Bible does tell us to guard our hearts. What about the old adage: “is it better to have loved and lost or to have never loved at all?” Well, when the Bible talks about guarding our heart, it speaks of guarding it against corruption through the things we allow into our spirit through what we watch and hear. There is a vast difference between this healthy heart guarding and the unhealthy guarded walls that we build around our hearts.
Since we were young we’ve heard this common little phrase…. don’t get your hopes up. How sad. Hope is everything! You should always get your hopes up!! And keep them up! Even if it is sometimes accompanied by pain. Just as a child experiences growing pains physically, we must experience them as well to grow spiritually, mentally, and emotionally. At least then you know that you’re alive and passionate!
Consider this line from the song that inspired part of this writing: “Sometimes you gotta bleed to know that you’re alive and have a soul” 21 Pilots
I love that line. Unfortunately, all too often we tend to shoot only for mediocrity, mostly due to our fears and focus on past failures. We let our past and present circumstances define us, and we listen to our own limiting beliefs that seem to be shouting that what we have become is all we will ever be. We can’t allow ourselves to listen to those lies. It is always a choice though and the Bible says that “hope deferred makes the heart sick”
Action is the only thing that cures fear. Fear is the opposite of faith. Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we don’t see.
So, I’ve been walking around over the last few days with this little bitty cut, most of the time forgetting it’s even there. Then I go to do something, just an average everyday task, and I am reminded of the little cut over and over again; yet no one even notices this teeny thing unless I show it to them.
I feel like this is exactly the way that our heart is. We often walk around with what we dismiss as just a tear in our heart but it is in turn affected by everyday matters. Vice versa, it affects our everyday actions and decisions and the choice to love with all of our heart or to put that self-imposed armor back on, or worse case: build or rebuild an impenetrable wall.
We only live this life one time. No do-overs. Choose to live passionately. Choose to have courage. Choose to make a positive difference. Choose to love. You will be stronger for it.
Let’s end with a “loose” closing on this one because truthfully, because we don’t know exactly how the story ends. Only God knows that. And His plans for us are great with mighty hope for the future!
I believe that breaths inspiration through us in many different forms. Some of my writing is inspired by music. So, I will close this with a few more song quotes that I love that seem fitting for this topic:
“I’ve been restless on the inside, wondering about this heart of mine. I’ve been desperately trying to find a way to prove that I’m still alive.” ~Big Daddy Weave
“When everything feels like the movies. Yeah, you bleed just to know you’re alive.” Goo Goo Dolls
“…and maybe someday we will live our lives out loud, try to find a way to make things better now” ~Rob Thomas
