Heart on the Fritz
I was recently visiting with an elderly lady at our local nursing home. This dear sweet woman held my hand and talked about the passing of her husband. They had been married 69 years, had raised children and welcomed grandchildren, built a home and a successful business. She spoke of his sudden, unexpected death. She said since then, her heart had been "on the fritz". She explained that sometimes she was so angry with him for leaving her that she almost hated him and everyone else, while other times, she was so grateful for the time they had together and still felt so full of love for him . . . and everyone else. She sighed and said it was just too bad her heart was on the fritz.
I had never heard someone speak about love and heartache that way, but it struck me that we, or at least I, sometimes have a heart on the fritz. There are times when I am just filled with love for my Christian brothers and sisters, times when I long to be with them, to fellowship and share with them, times when my prayers are filled with praying good things for those I love. And then there are times when I am so frustrated, so tired, so weary of my church family and my prayers are centered on "Lord, help me deal with . . ." And I avoid fellowship with them. My heart is on the fritz!!!
It seems my heart begins to "short-circuit" or "misfire" when I am thinking about me. When my thoughts are about my problems, my struggles, my weariness, then I seem to think about my brothers in less than loving terms. I am not naive enough to believe they should all behave my way, and yet I get frustrated when they don't. Sometimes it is just plain old difficult to be loving.
I wonder if Jesus ever felt frustrated? Do you think He ever was tired and weary, that He ever looked at others and wondered why they had to do things the hard way? Do you think we are ever difficult to love?
John 13:34-35 tells us that the way we love each other tells the world who we belong to. Our love, our heart responses, identify us as the Church, the disciples of Messiah. I John says we cannot love God unless we love our brother. If we want to be more like Jesus, we have to be more loving. We have to love others with a sacrificial kind of love, giving up our time, giving up our energy, even sometimes giving up our money for them. A healthy heart is a heart that loves even the unloveable.
I John 4:7-8 "Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love, does not know God for God is love."
Neva
I had never heard someone speak about love and heartache that way, but it struck me that we, or at least I, sometimes have a heart on the fritz. There are times when I am just filled with love for my Christian brothers and sisters, times when I long to be with them, to fellowship and share with them, times when my prayers are filled with praying good things for those I love. And then there are times when I am so frustrated, so tired, so weary of my church family and my prayers are centered on "Lord, help me deal with . . ." And I avoid fellowship with them. My heart is on the fritz!!!
It seems my heart begins to "short-circuit" or "misfire" when I am thinking about me. When my thoughts are about my problems, my struggles, my weariness, then I seem to think about my brothers in less than loving terms. I am not naive enough to believe they should all behave my way, and yet I get frustrated when they don't. Sometimes it is just plain old difficult to be loving.
I wonder if Jesus ever felt frustrated? Do you think He ever was tired and weary, that He ever looked at others and wondered why they had to do things the hard way? Do you think we are ever difficult to love?
John 13:34-35 tells us that the way we love each other tells the world who we belong to. Our love, our heart responses, identify us as the Church, the disciples of Messiah. I John says we cannot love God unless we love our brother. If we want to be more like Jesus, we have to be more loving. We have to love others with a sacrificial kind of love, giving up our time, giving up our energy, even sometimes giving up our money for them. A healthy heart is a heart that loves even the unloveable.
I John 4:7-8 "Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love, does not know God for God is love."
Neva
posted by Neva | 7:13 AM
12 Comments:
Loved it!!! I have often worried about my "heart condition". Thanks for reminding me.
Love ya
Pat
Surely, I couldn't be hard to love... I like her term of heart on the fritz. It really describes the situation.
I summarized your talks on my site, I hope I did you justice. There was a lot said. It was such a great weekend.
love you,
Kathy
All of us struggle with consistency in our relationships. As we mature in Christ, we should be getting better. Thank you for your post.
Good stuff.
Jean
Hello My name is Fritz, what's the problem
Great post and great reminder that we need to love always if we are to be like God.
Dean
Enjoyed your blog---I'll be back to visit soon.
Jeanette
My first visit to dancing in the light---but definitely not my last. You are a very gifted writer.
Keep up the good work.
Marsha
My heart is on the fritz frequently. I find my own worries and busyness keep me from being the loving person I should be. Thank you for the encouragement.
Carol
Amen, and Amen.
Dan
Amen. Good post.
Bobby
Thanks for the encouraging words,,,my heart has been "on the fritz" for quite sometime,,,but you always seem to say the right things to make it better and make me stronger.
Great post and great reminder that we need to love always if we are to be like God. Dean
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