Maneuvers - No. 7
For When Your
Heart Hurts
We live in a harsh world, friend.
Life’s pains and terrors teach many to be cynical, closed off, numb. The evil we see around us can be overwhelming at times. The greed, the rage, the abuse, the arrogance. It’s so, so much, isn’t it?
God knows it. He sees it, too. And he’s not numb to it. He doesn’t want us to be numb either.
He offers us a way to face this battle between good and evil, light and darkness, hope and despair, with confidence. How? By knowing that he’s already won this battle.
When we hear the enemy whispering his lies in our ears yet again, we don’t have to be afraid. When we see bitter division erupting in our homes, our churches, or our workplaces, we can still be confident. When the people we love most abandon us, we don’t have to feel alone. We don’t have to go numb or protect our hearts with a fortified wall to keep everyone else out.
He is with us. He is with you, friend.
Today, Holy Spirit offers a fresh, warm reminder of that truth. He is with you. He is for you. He has fought for you—and won. You are his cherished prize, and he won’t let the devil steal what he has fought for. You are not defenseless.
Will you join us in listening to his challenging yet tender words today?
01.
The Message
“There is terror in this world, things outside your control. There is malcontent, intentions to do evil. There are always things that can hurt you. Envy and greed, pride and evil desires pursue you. While on earth they will not be escaped. For you are in the midst of a battle waging—a battle already won for your heart. And there is much discord because of that. Strife and disharmony, anger and pain.
“This is a world that is harsh for your heart. And it is why I came, and why I am here, available and present, never leaving you. The war that has been fought was one I fought for you. And yet another battle continues after my victory. For the enemy roars in frustration and whispers in the dark to claim what is mine, to take back what was rescued for my own. You are my own.
“In the night, I do not leave you. When the darkness is loud against you, an insidious whisper of deceit, a truth disfigured and warped so it feels right but is so, so far from love’s truth, I am your guide. I am your protector. I am your shield and sword. I am your breastplate and all the armor you need. But my help only works when you use it. My truth only works when you hear it and let it sing out of you—when it is expressed by your choices, by your life.
“My truth is the door to your salvation. And my presence in you fills you with my love to help you use that truth. But do you want it? Do you want me?
“Consider your love for me. Consider the fruit of loving me. The fruit of my love for you produces patience and goodness, kindness and gentleness, peace and restraint against evil, joy and faith, and love, love, love.
“Abide with me and fall more in love with me. Let me help your heart soften. Let me help you redirect your hunger and thirst. For I am what you need now. And my love for you can fill you so you are equipped to handle anything this world offers. Hope for strife. Faith for discord. Peace for fear. Kindness for enmity. Love for condemnation. Let my word fill you. Fall into it, close your eyes and walk around in it. Drink it and breathe it and watch it come alive in you. Let me be alive in you. That is your greatest protection now. For I love you. For I am love.”
02.
Listen
When the battle is fiercest, we have weapons at our disposal that the world can’t even understand. We have our heavenly Father and all the fruit of the Spirit that comes from knowing him deeply. As you read this week’s message, which line impacted you the most? How did that line apply to your current situation? What did Holy Spirit show you about that?
03.
Think
“God always comes alongside us to comfort us in every suffering so that we can come alongside those who are in any painful trial” (2 Corinthians 1:4, TPT).
1. What painful situations are you facing right now? What relationships are causing you to hurt? Where has your heart become hard because of this pain? We encourage you to write your answers down in your journal.
2. What emotional defense mechanisms have you used to cope with that pain? How are they affecting your relationships with other people and with God?
3. Let’s close our eyes and imagine Jesus standing between us and that pain, defending us, protecting us. How does that image change how you view the difficult situations in your life? Let’s write down our response in the form of a prayer.
04.
Trust
When Jesus told his disciples he would be crucified, they didn’t understand. When he told them he would suffer, die, and rise from the dead, they were still confused. How could the Messiah allow that to happen?
But Jesus told them these things to prepare them. He knew what a difficult time that would be for his friends. His heart was to help them know how to respond to this situation and to future suffering and persecution.
That’s why he also told them about Holy Spirit. He taught them wonderful things about this Comforter who would never leave them and who would always give them the wisdom they needed.
“I will ask the Father and he will give you another Savior, the Holy Spirit of Truth, who will be to you a friend just like to me—and he will never leave you. The world won’t receive him because they can’t see him or know him. But you know him intimately because he remains with you and will live inside you” (John 14:16-17).
Just as Jesus predicted, He was arrested, beaten, crucified, and dead for three days before he rose again. And just as he predicted, the disciples later faced incredibly painful trials because of their faith.
But they weren’t alone. They had Holy Spirit with them, just as Jesus promised. The one who reminded them of Jesus’ words, who comforted them in every single difficulty, who never abandoned them—even when everyone else did.
Holy Spirit is with you, too, friend.
He is your Comforter and your friend. But he is also your protector and defender. When the devil lies to you, Holy Spirit protects your heart with his truth. When you face a seemingly impossible situation, Holy Spirit guides you with his wisdom. He teaches you how to respond, what to say, what to think, how to pray. He will show you.
So right now, let’s take a moment to invite Holy Spirit into those difficult situations we’re facing.
Let’s find a quiet spot where we can be alone with him. We encourage you to bring a pen and your journal so you can write down what Holy Spirit shows you, as well as a Bible so he can direct you to specific Scriptures.
Now, let’s take a deep breath. One more. Just one more time. Let’s quiet our minds, lean in with our hearts, and have a conversation with our Father…
05.
Pray
God, I know you’re with me. Not just right now in this quiet moment, but always, even when I’m surrounded by chaos. You’re with me in the battle.
I admit I’ve allowed my heart to harden in some areas and go numb in others. The situations I’m facing can be so painful. But I don’t want to go numb anymore. I just want to fall deeper in love with you. Teach me to run to you when I’m in pain, when I’m confused, when I’m overwhelmed. I want to hear your voice.
So today, I’m bringing to you my frustrations and concerns and hurts, one by one.
(Take this time to talk to God about the problems and hurts you’re facing. Pause after each one to listen to him. Let’s allow him to speak to those specific situations.)
Thank you for sharing your heart with me, Father. I love your heart so much. It’s so good, so pure, so noble. I feel so protected by you. Draw me even closer and help me abide in you moment by moment.
I love you, Lord. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Waving the banner with you,
