The heart is a tender thing. When we’re young, we live with our hearts wide open. Kind of like puppies do. Always eager to play, meet new friends, and typically filled with joy.

However, life soon teaches us to protect the tenderness of our heart through various losses, betrayals, and pains. As a result, we begin to build walls and allow only a few people in, if any at all. We learn to live with masks to protect our true selves and keep a safe distance.

All of this of course is learned behavior for studies have shown that most people are desperately insecure and fear rejection.

This fear and insecurity are breeding grounds for worry, anxiety, unhealthy dependencies, and spiritual distractions.

However, in Jesus Christ, and for those who receive His love and believe in Him, He takes residence in our heart and makes us a new creation.

Being saved and rescued from this former life may be immediate, but our maturity in living out this new way of life takes some time – this is not an overnight process. Although I wish it was, for we can still struggle with the old way of doing things at times.

Yet, God is faithful and His love never quits, as He tenderly heals one layer of damage at a time – patiently, tenderly, and persistently restoring our hearts to mirror His. Teaching and showing us that He truly is our good Father, and can be trusted. He is our hope, our joy, our life, and holds our purpose.

This builds our faith, and testimonies, and as our hearts heal, we grow in courage to share it with others. The masks fall away and we are exposed, more vulnerable than ever before, but also more willing and able to give and receive true love like never before. For God’s love now leads us, guides us, directs us, reassures us, and continues to heal us.

God loves the real us and wants others to know the real us too – imperfections and all, for we are His beautiful creation; and as He lives in us, we are allowed the glorious opportunity to have His light shine within and outside of us to offer His light and warmth to others.

The world still has its betrayers, frauds, pains, and injustices, but we are no longer part of that world. We remain in it, and this is the great opportunity we are given – To see with new eyes, and to help care for the pains of others through Christ’s love, and to offer this hope to others.

As we were once captives, and set free, we now get to share in helping others discover the abundant life, and freedom that comes from knowing Jesus Christ and living life with Him.