I am not a fan of change. It can be a great change, but nonetheless, my angst for it remains. I remember always dreading the transition to new schools. I would worry and fear about who my teachers would be, the friends I would make, and really just every detail about the big move. The first day of high school and every new grade following didn’t get easier. Similarly, college was no walk in the park. As each new semester graced itself I mentally prepared for the first day of class and all the what if’s I could muster up to prepare for the unknown. Change for me stirs an unsettled heart. You could imagine what the night before my wedding day was like as I tossed and turned trying to wrap my mind around the wedding day, the beauty of marriage, and the soon covenant blessing I would have to be alone and vulnerable with the man I love. As excited as I was and right as I knew it would be and is, it didn’t remove the reality that my heart was unsettled with the fear of the unknown. All the what if’s stirred my heart trying to rob the beauty of marriage. An unsettled heart comes in the good and the bad. It’s not partial. Often it comes merely to choke life and confine you in doubt, worry and fear.
What are you currently facing or going through? It’s not necessarily always some grand misfortune, rather it can be something minute. What are you facing? Is there something that has you uneasy? Is it something that has ruffled your feathers? It can be something that keeps you up at night. It can be something that you ponder on often. It can be a thought that makes you uneasy that once the thought presents itself your soul becomes unsettled. You become unsettled. Your day is unsettled. Your life is unsettled.
When I am unsettled I lose control of the million thoughts that race before me. When I am unsettled I can’t quite truly see the hope before me. Miracles become non-existent and the power of life becomes meaningless. An unsettled heart is loud. It screams with fear and worry. An unsettled heart dictates attitude and character. An unsettled heart underestimates the power of hope and convinces itself that fear is stronger and more effective than hope itself. An unsettled heart is like a spark of fire. As long as it is contained it grows and consumes you with doubt and fear. It consumes thought patterns, belief systems, character, and attitude. Something as small as an unsettled heart can greatly impact who we are and those around us.
An unsettled heart is like a spark of fire.
As long as it is contained it grows and consumes you with doubt and fear.
So what really is the opposite of an unsettled heart? It’s a grounded heart is it not? Its heart sees that hope is the only thing stronger than fear. A grounded and settled heart is no longer traumatized by its own life that it can see others and see the truth. A settled heart is established. It is put beyond doubt. It is of strength and hope. It understands and sees in purity. An established heart is firm and unwavering. It’s not moved by what surrounds it. While darts may come and trouble surrounds, an established and settled heart knowns that in discouragement, in frustration, in weariness… that before anything outwards changes the anticipation of who they serve and what He can and will do is the hope they cling onto. An established heart trusts. An established and settled heart sing praises. An established and settled heart waits patiently, grounded in hope and strengthened in hope. An established heart, while surrounded by disparities, declares the truth and proclaimed the good news of righteousness. Their heart is preserved by an everlasting love that their heart fails not.
Are you unsettled? Are you weary? Are you searching for hope?
My friend, an unsettled heart can only be cured by the one who designed and created it. The Psalmist David understood this well. In Psalm 40 David writes of his God establishing his footing. Verse 2 he writes,
He brought me up also out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.
Davids’s source, God, established his soul. His God established his footing. His God established hope and settled his heart that despite what surrounded him, his footing remained sure. David’s source, your source, God, can do that for you!
My prayer for you is that your soul will be settled. That no matter what surrounds you, your footing remains sure and your hope remains steadfast. Your thoughts will remain pure, your eyes will see miracles before they are established, your mouth will sing praises, your ears will hear the voice of God and your heart will be filled with hope. May God comfort you and in comfort, you are settled to face whatever comes your way.
One reply on “Settled”
It’s really humbling letting go and letting God. I think there’s a process of getting to this point though and it’s a different timeline for each person. Change grows us though! Amazing blog! I love VashtiSarah.com and the woman behind it!!!!!