The Battle Between Your Ears

I woke up this morning with that familiar weight in my chest. You know the one - it's that nagging voice that whispers things like "You're not enough" or "God's probably tired of dealing with you" or "If people really knew what you were thinking, they'd run."

Maybe it's just me, but I doubt it. I think we all fight this battle between our ears, this constant wrestling match with our thoughts about God and how He sees us.

It got me thinking about something that happened in my early days of ministry. I was probably trying too hard to impress God (and everyone else, if I'm being honest). I had this mental scorecard going - prayer time, check. Bible reading, check. Good deed for the day, check. I was exhausting myself trying to earn something I already had.

When "Bless Your Heart" Goes Wrong

You know, we've got this phrase here in the South that's gotten a bad rap: "Bless your heart." Half the time when someone says it, they're really saying "You're an idiot" in the nicest way possible. It's become our polite way of throwing shade.

But what if I told you that God actually wants to bless your heart? Not in the sarcastic Southern way, but in the truest, deepest sense of the word?

The God Who Kneels

Here's something that'll mess with your theology a little bit: The Hebrew word for "bless" in the Old Testament can literally mean "to kneel." Now usually, we think of us kneeling before God - and we should. But this word suggests something beautiful and mind-bending.

What if God's posture toward you isn't standing over you with His arms crossed, tapping His foot, waiting for you to get your act together? What if His posture is actually kneeling down to your level, looking you in the eye, and speaking words of blessing over your life?

I think about my grandkids when they're having one of those moments - you know, when they're upset or scared. I don't stand over them and lecture. I get down on their level. I look them in the eye. I speak softly. That's what love does.

That's what God does.

You Don't Have to Chase God

Here's the thing that's been rattling around in my head all week: We spend so much energy trying to get God's attention, trying to earn His favor, trying to convince Him to bless us. But what if He's already leaning in? What if He's already for you?

I was reading through Scripture this week, and it hit me - from Genesis to Revelation, God is pursuing His people. He's rescuing, restoring, blessing, protecting. He's bragging about Job behind his back. He's singing over His children with joy. He's wiping away tears and making all things new.

That's not the picture of a God we have to convince to care about us. That's the picture of a God who can't help but love us.

The Face That Shines
There's this ancient blessing that talks about God making His face shine upon us. I used to think that was just pretty poetry, but I think it's more than that. I think it's describing what happens when someone you love walks into the room.

Denise and I have been married for decades, but I still light up when she comes home. My face literally changes when I see her. That's what the blessing is talking about - God's face lighting up when He thinks about you.

Not because you've been good. Not because you've earned it. But because you're His.

What This Means for Your Week

So here's what I want you to know as you go through your week: That battle between your ears? It's real, but it's not the whole story. The voice that tells you God is distant or disappointed? That's not His voice.

His voice is the one that says, "I've got your back. I'm smiling when I think about you. My heart toward you is blessing, not cursing. Peace, not anxiety. Wholeness, not brokenness."

You don't have to perform for that. You don't have to earn it. You just have to receive it.
So the next time someone says "bless your heart" - whether they mean it or not - just smile and think, "That's exactly what God wants to do." Because it is.

His heart toward you is blessing. Always has been. Always will be.

Three Ways to Live This Out
1. Start Your Day With God's Voice, Not the World's: Before you check your phone, before you scroll through social media, before you let the day's anxiety creep in - spend five minutes letting God speak His heart over you. Read that blessing from Numbers 6:24-26 out loud. Let it be the first voice you hear, not the last.
2. Practice Receiving: This one's harder than it sounds. When someone compliments you, when something good happens, when you catch a break - don't immediately deflect or minimize it. Just say "thank you" and recognize it as God's blessing. You don't have to earn every good thing that comes your way.
3. Fight the Battle with Truth: When that voice between your ears starts up with the lies - and it will - have some truth ready. Write down God's heart toward you. Keep it handy. Speak it out loud. The battle is real, but you don't have to fight it unarmed.

Some battles are worth fighting. Some voices are worth listening to. Make sure you know the difference.