Stirrings

What types of things stir inside you? I mean, what rolls around inside our heart and mind on a regular basis? Is it worries about your work? Is it concerns over your kids? Is it anxiety about adulting? Or maybe it’s something bigger in our community or world. I know for me each and every one of these things (and so much more) has stirred in my heart at different times in my life. And, I’ve found, that often when my heart is stirred about these issues I have a choice to make about them.
And what I mean is that when I have something that stirs my heart, either a worry or a concern, I have the choice about how to handle that emotion. Usually there are a number of ways to help alleviate that tension, and even several actions I could take. If I’m worried about my kid’s struggling at school there are different approaches to how I can handle that. I could punish him, not letting him see the light of the day until I see appropriate grades. I could do his homework for him (which is tempting). I could ignore my worries. Or I could work with him so that he learns.
But these things aren’t limited to just our kids or work. Our hearts can be stirred for any and every reason imaginable and it’s not always negative. Commercials about abused animals up for adoption and children around the world who are starving are primarily geared to stir up something inside of us. And the stirrings of our hearts to act can be good. In fact, the Bible gives a number of times when people were stirred, both by God and by others, that led to positive outcomes.
And obviously what stirs our hearts is a big part of the outcome, whether the primary goal is good or not. However, the choice of action based upon the issue is a huge part of that as well. In Acts 17.16 we read this, “Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred in him, when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry.” Something stirred in Paul about the worship of other gods. And he had a choice to make about how to respond. He could have attempted to tear down the idols, screaming and yelling and preaching how awful these idols were and it possibly would have helped his heart settle a bit. Instead he chose to calmly and purposefully share with the people the best way to live: by worshiping Jesus alone.
And so, when our hearts are stirred, how do we handle it? Do we just ignore it? Maybe we’re purposeful, calm and gracious, looking for a way to answer the concern with love and kindness? I pray we choose love and grace. God bless.