Peace for the Restless Heartનમૂનો

When you are driving a car and a warning light flashes on the dashboard, you know you cannot ignore it for long. It is a sign that something deeper is going on under the hood—in the very heart of the car. In the same way, I have come to realize that our emotions are often like those warning lights. Fear, anxiety, anger, and discouragement are signals that there may be something going on in the heart that needs attention. A wise driver pays attention to the warning signs, and a wise believer does the same.

For years, I didn’t know how to do that. Instead of looking inward with the Lord, I blamed my circumstances and worked endlessly to try to change them. When that did not bring peace, I turned outward and blamed others—often the people I loved most, like my family. And when that didn’t fix it, I blamed myself. I pointed the finger at my personality, my weaknesses, even my body. I honestly thought living with anxiety, tears, and overwhelming fear was just normal—because that had always been my normal.

But then God used a friend to open my eyes. She once told me how, in her hardest moments, she would literally lie on the floor and ask the Lord to perform heart surgery on her. She would say, “God, show me if there is something wrong in my heart that is feeding these fears. Take out what does not belong and make me whole in You.” That image has stuck with me. Jesus really is the Great Physician, and sometimes what He wants to heal most deeply is not our circumstances, but our hearts.

When I began praying like that, God gently showed me that my heart often ran after other loves. I was devoted to things—even good things—that were not Him. And those misplaced loves were stealing my peace. The truth is, our hearts were made to worship Him alone, and when they drift to lesser things, the warning lights start flashing.

Life is never easy. Growing up comes with challenges, and adulthood does not magically erase them. Jesus never promised us a trouble-free life. In fact, He told us the opposite: “In this world you will have trouble.” But then He gave us the hope we need most: “Take heart! I have overcome the world.” Peace does not come from fixing all the circumstances around us. Peace comes from placing our whole hearts in the hands of the One who has already overcome every fear, sin, and struggle.

So let me ask you—what warning lights are flashing in your life right now? Where is fear or stress showing up? Instead of pushing those feelings aside or blaming yourself or others, what if you brought them to Jesus and asked Him to do heart surgery? He loves you too much to leave you restless and afraid.

Reflection Question: What warning signals in your emotional life might be indicating that your heart needs God’s healing touch?