A Tranquil Heart
Laura Ingle
Key scripture – “A tranquil heart gives life to the flesh, but envy makes the bones rot.” (Proverbs 14:30 HCSB).
Today’s key scripture tells us that, “A tranquil heart gives life to the flesh …” The word tranquil here in the original Hebrew language in essence means a heart free from envy — with its emotions and passions under control. It is calm, confident, not fretful and frenzied.
The word that is used in the Bible for envy translates literally to, “having an evil eye.” E…nvy is evil. It demands us to be sad at someone else’s success and a fan of their failures. God calls us to be thankful for the success of others. But when we allow envy to come into our lives, we end up flashing those green phantom fangs of envy at those around us.
Envy causes us to forget the blessings that God has given us because we are too focused on the blessings of others. Don’t let envy ruin what God has done in your life, instead you should take some time out today and remember the blessings that God has given to you and count your blessings one by one.
Instead of letting our hearts grow envious let’s ask God to help us cultivate a serene heart. Instead of riveting our eyes on others, let’s glance upward at God, asking Him to give us the ability to embrace and accept our unique personalities and talents — even our shortcomings.
Here are some ways to cultivate a tranquil heart.
1. You can cultivate a tranquil heart if you saturate yourself with God’s Word, tucking His wisdom into your heart. Then when you need it to speak to your situations and calm your emotions when they get out-of-control, you can easily retrieve His Word.
2. You can cultivate a tranquil heart when you make prayer a priority and watch God respond to your specific requests — in His always-perfect timing.
3. You can cultivate a tranquil heart when you truly trust God with your circumstances, when you believe He is good and that He has your best interests at heart, and you purpose to fulfill the specific part He has planned for you in this life.
Pray this – My Precious Heavenly Father, I thank you for the grace and mercy that You pour in my life on a daily basis. Help me to be thankful for the blessings and favor that You have poured into others’ lives as well. Help me to concentrate more on the things I do have and all the different ways you’ve blessed me today, instead of what I don’t have. Father, help me to keep my eyes on You and not on others, so that I may cultivate a tranquil heart. Help me to focus on the truth of Your Word and to appreciate the unique gifts, talents and circumstances that You have blessed me with. “And let the peace of the Messiah, to which you were also called in one body, control your hearts. Be thankful.” (Colossians 3:15, HCSB). Thank You for the goodness and loving kindness that You shower on me. In Jesus’ Name, whom I am so thankful for, I pray Amen.
D5 Creation