...establish our hearts...

“You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door.” James 5:8-9

I was reading through James this morning, and just kept thinking about the amazing grace of God. He draws us to Himself through His word. He uses His word to refine our hearts, He comforts us with His word, He restores us with His word. Dear friend, the Bible is ever so relevant!!! I am amazed, His word is fresh, and as Hebrews 4:12 says, “living and active”

I love His promises in Jeremiah 29:12-14, “Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the LORD...” He promises us when we seek Him with all our heart He will be found by us!!!

I kept thinking, how do we establish our hearts? When we say establish, we tend to think beginning or start up. Often you can walk through your town and see the year it was “established” But in this scripture establish means to: “to make stable, place firmly, set fast. To render constant.”

To me this is so convicting. How can we keep our hearts constant? There is so much we get distracted by, and I say that as one who stays home and homeschools. Our world is full of distractions, things vying for not just our attention, because we have to give our attention to things in order to live a productive life...but I believe there is a lot in the world that not only grabs our attention but takes our minds captive, which can easily render us ineffective for the Lord, and shake our resolve to keep our hearts established in the Lord.

So as I was studying in James about what it means to establish my heart, one of the cross references in Scripture where this word is used also is in Romans 16:25, “Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages...”

It is the Lord who strengthens and establishes our hearts. I believe though we must have an active faith....meaning as in James 4:3, “You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.” Sometimes we ask God to develop godly character, but it isn't for the right reasons. It may be to gain a good reputation, it may be to attain a leadership position within the church or at work.
I think when we come to the Lord broken and needy, just asking Him to show Himself in and through our lives..just for His namesake...we will see Him do a magnificent work.


I believe when the Spirit of the Living God indwells our hearts, our lives will reflect that....not in one specific way that we would all be the same...but rather, each according to the gifts God has given. I praise the Lord daily for how He designs us each individually. I look at my boys, and as I teach them...I can see already at the ages of 3, 5 and 7 that the Lord has made them all so different...with strengths, weaknesses and tendencies. Oh, how I fervently pray the Lord draws them to Himself to use their gifts for His glory as they grow.

I believe it is our job to ask. We must ask God for a firm faith, an established heart. I believe with all my heart, we should pray His word back to Him. Some of my favorites to present to Him in prayer for a firm heart are:

“Create within me a pure heart and renew a steadfast spirit within me.” Psalm 51:10 and

“Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.” Psalm 19:14

and when I'm asking the Lord to give me a steadfast heart to study His word:

“For Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of the LORD, and to do it and to teach his statutes and rules in Israel.” Ezra 7:10

and

“Call to Me and I will answer you and teach you great and unsearchable things you do not know.” Jeremiah 33:3


I just want a hungry established heart that seeks and honors God. I want that for my children so much!!
Sometimes the want is not enough though, I have to continue to ask God fervently for the want to turn into action...the action of actively petitioning the Lord for that. I have to trust that God will establish my heart in His word, He will draw me to Himself and He will draw my children to Him.