Magnify My Heart

     I recently went to Bed, Bath & Beyond with one of my best friends. We went down the aisle that was full of those mirrors, you know, the ones that magnify up to like 50x or something. I looked into one that was maybe 15x when I looked at my friend and said, "Why on earth didn't you tell me I had something on my face?!" She replied that she hadn't even seen it. I hate looking into those mirrors that magnify my face so closely, because then I see all those little imperfections that weren't noticeably when I was getting ready in the morning. Those teeny tiny blackheads didn't seem so teeny tiny anymore! And talk about red splotches!
     Then, just yesterday, I was talking to one of the most amazing women in the Lord I have ever met. We were talking about how God sometimes has to let things happen in our lives for us to see all the areas we need to change. I was then reminded of that 15x mirror. Sometimes, when I'm getting ready in the morning, I may not notice all those imperfections and blackheads sitting on the skin of my heart, but just because nobody can see them, doesn't mean they're not there. I then realized this...I want God to magnify my heart. I want Him to show me all those areas that are really gross when you get a closer look. Maybe I have the blemish of pride, greed or bitterness. Whatever it is, I need to daily ask Him to pull out that mirror and show me what I need to fix.

    Here are the 3 main things God has taught me as I ask Him to magnify my heart:

1.) Just because it's a little blemish does NOT mean it isn't a big problem.

     Just like that blackhead on your nose that may not be noticeable without that close up mirror, a little blackhead on your heart can be just as gross. If we don't daily cleanse our faces, they would end up being pretty gross, and those blackheads could become even more nasty. What if God let our heart's condition show outwardly on our face? How clean and clear would it really look? 

2.) A good way to cleanse your heart is through daily reading God's word.

     Honestly, the Bible is basically a magic eraser or a Mr. Clean Scrubber. Reading God's love letter to us is such a good way for us to know what we need to be working on and what areas need more scrubbing. Maybe there's a spot in your life that has some really old dirt and grime, which will take a lot more time and effort to scrub off than something that could only need an easy rinse. It's so much easier to clean our hearts daily! Imagine that you eat a bowl of Ramen (I choose this because it's always the hardest to clean after leaving out for a day or two!) and you put it in the sink and forget about it for a day. The next day, when you go to clean it, all those tiny little noodles are stuck to the bowl, and it requires a lot more effort to get that bowl clean. It is the same thing with our hearts! If we clean it multiple times a day, it doesn't take as much effort! 

3.) You feel a lot better on the outside when you're pretty on the inside.

     We all know that true beauty should come from the inside, although that seems to be a principle that is sometimes thrown by the wayside. But it's so important! If you have a clean, cleansed heart that has had it's time with God through His word and prayer, you're going to feel a lot more beautiful on the outside. God wants His instruments to be tuned and shined each day so that they can perform to their full potential. Allow God to clean and shine you so that you can be used as effectively as possible for His honor and glory!


So there you have it. I challenge you, daily ask God to be magnifying your heart and to show you those areas that you need to cleanse and purify. Continue asking yourself this: Am I taking as much time cleaning and perfecting my heart as I am with my face or body? Doesn't God deserve our best?

Stay excellent!