Quilted Heart

Have you ever wondered what your heart looks like? Not the actual one in your chest pumping blood through your body, but rather the one that is referenced in Proverbs 4:23 “Above all else guard your heart for it is the wellspring of life.” and Philippians 4:7 “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

I’ve thought about this many times and what I constantly see is a heart that resembles a quilt. Now don’t let me lose you this early…let me explain. The way I see it is that we are born with a heart that is completely intact. As we go throughout life this heart is at the core of everything we do and everything we experience. It is what holds on to the good things, but it is also where the most pain occurs. This is where the idea of the quilt comes from:

With each person or event that comes into our life a piece of our heart is given away and carried by that person or event. As that person or event carries that piece gently and cares for it our heart still remains intact and whole. But the minute that person or event causes the slightest amount of pain that piece becomes seperated and leaves our heart with a “hole.” Just like a hole would cause pain to our hearts in our chest this “hole” causes pain. Now this is where the picture of the “patches” come to mind:

With each “hole” in our heart there will always come healing in time. But never again will our heart return to it’s original wholeness. This is where He covers our “holes” with different “patches” causing them to look like a quilt. Each “patch” holds a different pattern because each “hole” has to be covered in a different way.

Just like each patch on a quilt has individual stitches all around the edges the “patches” on our hearts have stitches. Each one is slowly sown in by our Maker and with His every stitch He is sure to remind us of His constant love for us.

No, patches aren’t permenant and from time to time will be torn apart, but that’s where the beauty of His consistency come in. Because He will be there quickly to hold our heart ever so gently and stitch it up again.

I know in my life I can think of a lot of “patches” He has sown on to my heart and I am grateful for each and every one of them because it means that there has been a lesson learned and a love shown in that pain. I also know that there will be more to come, but I know I have a faithful Father!

My hope and prayer as you read this is that no matter what it is you may be dealing with today that you would feel him gently putting that “patch” over it and remember that you are loved. And that you will be thankful for those times in which you have a “hole” in your heart because it means that you are growing and learning just as He desires for you to.