Healing From Within

I've recently studying the healing of the heart. When I say heart, I don't mean the one that is located on the left side of a human chest. I don't even mean the one that is represented at Valentine's Day. I'm talking about the part of a human that holds our emotional memories of good and bad life events. It's actually located in our belly. Sounds crazy, but if you close your eyes and take a deep breath you can actually feel things in your gut. Biblically referenced by Jesus, it's the "Out of your belly will flow forth living waters." Our spirit man resides in our belly and we it was made to FLOW! How many times have you gotten hurt so deeply it felt as if you had been, "punched in the gut?"

I realized by some events over the years and encounters with some disappointments that I've felt pretty stagnant. . . dull. . . board. . . blah. . . even numb.

I came across some DVDs and books from Dennis and Dr. Jennifer Clark ( Full Stature Ministries ). They have some amazing insights on the brain/heart connections. They mention that Psychotherapists, and Psychologist, even Christian counselors, have been trying to get people's minds to control their emotions in order for them to be healed or at peace within, however, they have discovered that there is an easier way to release people into healing and it is completely opposite of what's been taught. Now there is a lot that goes into what I'm about to say, so feel free to check their website out (listed above) because I'm only going to mention a snippet. . .

Many times we try to control our emotions by changing our self talk, our thoughts... we grind our mind to think certain things, we force our thoughts to change, however, as I have personally experienced we do not really and truly get a break through until that desperation point. The desperation point causes us to... let go... surrender... give-up so to speak and in that moment is when we actually open up our heart and release. . . Can you relate?

What the Clarks have said is that we can start at the point of release by simply going to our emotions first rather than thoughts. Now, one important aspect is that once we find the emotion, say it's frustration.. we find the thought... say, trouble at work... at that point we ask Jesus to come into that emotion and bring peace to us. Since Jesus is already Spirit it is easy access for the Lord to meet you there. He can come and release peace into the place of frustration. You can then think about the trouble at work with a peaceful feeling, rather than the frustration felt before.

This is amazing to me because I've found that in my personal journey of peace and joy I found it the easiest to believe the truth when my emotional state was open to it. I've tried and tried to think positively, but I found myself becoming fake and not really honest. The Clarks talk about how our belly/heart is the place God designed us to operate in power and authority. I found this to be true!!! As hard as I tried to believe the truth about being forgiven or even forgiving others, the reality of the truth was not really functional until a genuine, lasting peace or joy was in place in my heart.

I am so thankful that Jesus did not make things complicated or heavy! When we invite Jesus into those places of negative emotions, HE carries it away... all we do is receive... (sigh) too easy huh?

N e x t . . .  I'll write a little bit about the physiological effects that this heart healing has on us. It's pretty amazing!!