The world is sometimes a frightening place. In any time or place, there can be stress or worry. Sometimes things might appear to be stable in society, but in your home it’s a battlefield. Or maybe things appear hopeless everywhere you look.

In this article, Prayer for Anxiety explains how the wisdom of the heart allows us to find peace in any situation.

What is wisdom?

Wisdom is a special kind of knowledge or understanding. It often comes from having a lot of life experience. On the other hand, some people are naturally wise even at a young age.

The Bible says, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” (Proverbs 9:10). This does not mean that God will punish you, but rather that we should respect God like we would a king. When we don’t want to offend someone, we might say we are afraid to offend them. This is a healthy type of fear, and wisdom begins here. It means you seriously take into account the other person.

Wisdom of the heart

The wisdom of the heart is something that comes from a relationship with God. It’s becoming conscious of what your heart already knows. This understanding comes to us from God’s Spirit, and upon this wisdom you can build a strong spiritual life. It will defend you in times of crisis, and it will nourish you when you feel weak.

Psalm 103

This psalm gives us a clear picture of the wisdom of the heart:

Praise the Lord, my soul;
all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
Praise the Lord, my soul,
and forget not all his benefits—
who forgives all your sins
and heals all your diseases…

The psalm starts with what happens once you have received the wisdom of the heart: your soul praises God.

The wisdom of the heart is based on two simple truths: God forgives all your sins, and he heals all your “diseases.” These are concepts we can understand with our heads, but it’s only when we open our hearts to God’s love that the true wisdom comes out.

You are forgiven

The idea that we are forgiven can be hard to understand or accept. This is because it means admitting we were wrong. But again, the wise heart knows when a mistake was made. You might be able to fool your mind, but your heart knows the truth.

One of the greatest truths is that we all need to be forgiven. If we place ourselves or someone else on a pedestal then we deny God’s mercy. There is only one requirement for access to God’s mercy, and that is sin. If there has been no mistake, then there can be no mercy.

God does not force anything on you, but if you ask for his mercy he pours it out in abundance.

You are healed

The healing we are talking about is more spiritual than physical, however, every physical ailment has psychological and spiritual components.

When you understand and accept God’s forgiveness, your soul is healed. And if you doubt whether or not God has forgiven you, just look at the cross of Jesus. Look at his wounds and his blood that was shed for you. This is how God brings you healing.

A healthy soul faces the trials of life with renewed strength. A healthy soul lives with peace and joy. A healthy soul helps others when they suffer. A healthy soul rises up in Jesus Christ’s resurrection and praises God.

Stay wise, stay healthy

A healthy soul knows also knows where to get feeding. The place to get feeding is to return back to where we started – with the wisdom of the heart.

An adaption from Psalm 103 expresses it beautifully:

The Lord redeems your life from the pit
and crowns you with love and compassion,
He satisfies your desires with good things
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

Respect God. Know that he loves you and forgives all your sins. Trust that he heals the even the deepest hurt in your heart and soul.

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This post was partially inspired by the book El Predicador ante el Espejo by Carlos María Martini.

Image source (modified)