DON’T LET ANYONE BREAK YOUR HEART

Dear Believer,

One of the ways to live a great life in this world is to know how to protect your own mind from hurt.

You see, those who hurt people most are those who have themselves been hurt. The brokenhearted unwittingly end up breaking other people’s heart. So by protecting your heart, you are actually protecting your loved ones — husband,  children, friends and others.

It is not enough to avoid hurting others; you must also protect your own mind from being wounded.

There’s a key to getting this right. We can get it from Jesus.

Now while Jesus was in Jerusalem at the feast of the Passover, many people believed in his name because they saw the miraculous signs he was doing.  But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people. John 2:23-24.

It is interesting to know that the word translated in verse 23 as ‘believe’ is the same word translated as ‘entrust’ in verse 24.

The remarkable thing about this passage then, is that these people believed in Jesus, but Jesus didn’t believe in them.

The reason for Jesus’ reservations is stated here: He knew all people. This particular crowd ‘believed’ just because of what they wanted to get from Jesus. You’ll see that clearly when you read the whole story.
You see, Jesus didn’t just relate with people, He responded to them based on what was going on in their mind. It was their motive that concerned him most.

Here’s an example:

A woman was once lavishing a costly ointment on Jesus. Judas was among the people looking on, but he was whispering to himself, righteously shaking his head at the ‘waste’ he was witnessing. When he couldn’t take it anymore, he voiced out.

Why wasn’t this oil sold for three hundred silver coins and the money given to the poor?” (John 12:5)

Doesn’t that sound caring and loving and righteous? It sure does, except it was from a rotten mind with a terrible motive.

The next verse  tells us what Jesus knew:

Now Judas said this, not because he was concerned about the poor, but because he was a thief. As keeper of the money box, he used to steal what was put into it. (John 12:6).

There you have it! Judas ‘cared’ because there would be less money for him to steal! His kindness and concern for the poor was fake.

Aren’t some people criticizing some great work today just because the money isn’t flowing into their own pocket and they aren’t directly benefiting from it?

Studying the ministry of Jesus shows us that people’s words didn’t impress Him unless they came from a good conscience and a pure motive. That was the reason He was able to complete His mission. His knowledge of men’s mind made him avoid their traps.

Let’s not even start to talk about people coming to Jesus pretending to want to learn and asking questions to ensnare Him and get Him into trouble with the authorities. He got them even before they took off!

Note well that I’m not talking about suspicion here. We have enough problem with people who keep ascribing negative meanings into other people’s words and behavior.

What I’m emphasizing here is discernment.  It is that spark of ‘knowing’ in you that makes you uneasy when you are about to get yourself into a wrong relationship or partnership or the wrong group.

Believer, you have been bought with a high price. (1 Corinthians 7:23). You are not cheap. You aren’t an object to be used and thrown away by unscrupulous people.

You shouldn’t give your minds to sadists and careless people to mishandle and break. God has given every Believer the ability to discern. I’m not talking about the spiritual gift of discerning of spirits mentioned in 1 Corinthians 12:10. I am talking of the Believer’s ‘in-born’ ability to ‘discern between good and evil’ as stated in Hebrews 5:14. That isn’t a special gift. It is an ability that is inherent and can be developed by every child of God.

Carelessness is bad, but cluelessness is even worse. Most Believers whose hearts are broken today in a relationship, business or commitment were clueless about the situation and the people they were dealing with. They got carried away with the smiles, the beautiful speeches, the promises, the emotion, the physical appearance, the beautiful material things and stuff. Some let their impatience override the still, small voice warning them from within.

Dear Believer, learn to practice discernment. Do not be eager to take things at face value. Help yourself with these biblical principles.

• 1. Always pray about the choices you want to make. (Acts 22:10).
• 2. Do not be in a hurry. Time often reveals the true nature of a person, place or thing. “ He that believeth shall not make haste ” (Isaiah 28:26).
• 3. Seek counsel from godly people. “Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counsellors there is safety.” Proverbs 11:14).
• 4. And very importantly, judge the situation or person by the Word of God. “If they speak not according to the Word, it is because there is no light in them.” (Isaiah 8:20).
• 5. Don’t silence the warnings ‘feelings’ you may be receiving from within you. The renewed mind of the Believer can pick negative subliminal signals and process them. Don’t shut down the voice of your spirit because of external pressures.

I pray for you today that your spirit will become sensitized by the Holy Spirit and the Word of God… That you will clearly discern people and situations and avoid evil so you can protect your heart from heartbreak, in the name of Jesus.

Take time to pray about this.

Your friend,

Deon.

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For further studies, read John 6:24-71.