Aperture

Back when I was in college, I took a photography class. Yep, me, the one who constantly has her thumb featured in every shot.

Anyway, in this class, I learned all about the camera’s components; one such component was known as the “aperture,” defined as an adjustable opening that limits the amount of light passing through a lens or onto a mirror.

And it started me thinking about our hearts. Aren’t they, indeed, openings which limit the amount of light passing through our vision, reflecting how we see ourselves?

“For as he thinks in his heart, so is he...”
Proverbs 23:7

With overwhelming addictions, disorders and issues, it all comes down to our hearts, doesn’t it? What’s in them? What has damaged them? What has influenced them?

“For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”
Matthew 6:21; Luke 12:34

Indeed, with so much emphasis on the outward appearance, our inner issues, those demanding, even oppressive drives, can become pushed down, if not ignore altogether. It’s too scary, too painful to address and deal with. But doing that kind of suppressing and ignoring cannot lead to healing; it can only promote festering.

God, Himself, takes our hearts, what’s REALLY going on with them very seriously…

“’…For the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.’”
1 Samuel 16:7

Our hearts are so important to Him, so vulnerable, God tells us to guard them…

“Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.”
Proverbs 4:23

Impossible to do?

God doesn’t think so.

Yes, all of our stuff is difficult, painful and challenging to navigate through, but not impossible. God didn’t cause any of our pain; neither does He enjoy watching us struggle with it. He’s not the sadist we sometimes think Him to be. No, He wants us healed, healthy, prospering; He wants to bless us…

“Beloved, I wish above all things that you may prosper and be in health, even as your soul prospers.”
3 John 1:2

But we need to deal with our hearts.

That doesn’t mean getting everything perfect, either. God knows we have human limitations. But He does want us to get real with what’s driving us, especially if those drives are resulting in harmful, dangerous behaviors which jeopardize our physical, emotional and spiritual health.

So, where do we start with our tricky aperture hearts? We let God through the opening, letting Him search, explore and yes, work healing in our hearts:

“Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”
Psalms 139:23-24

And, while that’s happening, we need not to get freaked out about the ugly truths we may come across.

“Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.”
John 14:1

We have, after all, Jesus, Who’s constantly on our side, pleading our case.

“Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.”
Romans 8:34

But we need to open our hearts, that tricky aperture, to God, for Him to work.

It takes an adjustment, a shift in our thinking. It takes a redirected focus. What are we focusing on?

It takes a first step, even in spite of our freaked out fears.

“Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”
John 14:27

But we do need to take this step of faith.

What could God do if we allowed Him just a little further, into our hearts?

“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.”
Jeremiah 29:11

What peace, healing and life could happen just by readjusting our heart’s aperture settings?

Let’s aim our hearts and take a shot at that! Copyright © 2012 by Sheryle Cruse