3 Ways to Reset Your Heart’s Rhythm

Have you ever experienced a hurt so deep and so unexpected that you didn’t know what to do? Have you ever been blindsided by job loss, relationship problems, or financial woes and wondered how much more could your heart take?

Have you ever experienced a blow so devastating that you felt the literal wind had been knocked out of you?

Are you harboring unforgiveness or bitterness in your heart?

Friend, if you have answered yes to any of these questions, then it may be time for a spiritual heart evaluation.

After visiting his primary care physician he was immediately referred to a cardiologist for a racing, irregular heartbeat.

The moment we walked into the hospital he was immediately whisked to the back and I sat hoping and praying that everything would be okay. 

David was given an EKG and told that his symptoms were a result of atrial fibrillation. A-fib simply means that a person is experiencing an irregular heartbeat. The heartbeat can be too slow, too fast, or just out of rhythm. 

As we talked to members of the cardio team and they continued to run tests,  we were told David would need medical interventions because this condition could lead to critical medical complications, including blood clots that can lead to stroke and heart failure. The planned course of action was a procedure called an ablation. As the cardiologist spoke to us in layman’s terms, he stated the ablation would shock David’s heart back into rhythm.

The next day when David was having the procedure, I considered the spiritual aspects of a heart that is not in rhythm with the heartbeat of God.

Reset

Just as life can present us with opportunities that could trigger our heart or throw it “out of sync,” we have a great responsibility that can keep us grounded. John 14:1 is a command that has provided refuge to me during troubling times.
“Let not your heart be troubled” puts the responsibility on us. I am fully responsible for whether my heart is troubled or not. I choose to let it NOT be troubled. I have learned this is a task that is easier said than done. If I am guarding my heart from the attacks from the evil one, I must also guard the things that I allow to take residence in my heart.

To guarantee that, I must maintain a lifestyle with three critical components present.

Fasting

Fasting is simply an outward expression of an inward commitment to please God. Fasting requires sacrifice but there will always be a reward for the sacrifice. Not only will fasting help the heart remain in rhythm because the discipline of fasting is always accompanied by prayer, but it also requires a deeper level of intimacy with the Father. That reward, my friend, is priceless.

Worship

Worship is the physical expression of love, devotion, and admiration of God. Worship comes from a heart that truly desires to acknowledge who God is and to demonstrate love to Him. When we have a heart to please Him and to honor Him, He will heighten our senses to the things that please Him–as well as the things that break His heart.

Prayer

When I was younger, there was a hymn that was sung every Sunday morning before we began our church services. I will never forget the words or the meaning of “Whisper a Prayer.” The words were simple but power-packed.

Just as physical heart conditions get immediate action, spiritual heart issues are also critical. Guarding our hearts by maintaining the spiritual disciplines will keep our hearts in tune with the heart of the Father.