Sunday Special: Expand my heart.

In anticipation of Jesus's coming this Christmas, this Advent I'm asking God to expand my heart.

I'm at a place in my life when it is so easy to push some people away. Especially at work with so many difficulties. The children are very challenging and it is so easy to push those who cause me so much trouble away. Ignore them, stop caring. But the Lord calls me so clearly not to give up on them. To expand my heart to include every single of the children I encounter, regardless of how difficult they are.

When I was praying the other day it occurred to me that these children need to be loved so much. All their acting out is a call for attention. I know that some of their home life is just terrible. Broken families, abuse, unpredictability, lack of emotional support. When I see those children I often wonder why they are so unpleasant. But it's really quite simple. They don't feel loved, there is very little sense of worth in so many of them.

This Advent I want to have a more open heart to the people I encounter. To the children I teach, my coworkers, strangers who I meet on my errands, my loved ones. Have more patience for them, more love, more kindness. I want to make more time for acts of service as opposed to thinking about myself. I want to expand my heart in everyday situations. Nothing grand needs to happen.

This Advent I want to approach the ordinary with extraordinary openness of my heart. How can I prepare myself for the coming of Christ if I am not prepared for the encounter with my neighbour? But of course I need grace to be able to do it. So my prayer now is focused on asking for the Lord to enter into my heart to expand it beyond what I think is possible.

Make my heart like unto Thine, Jesus.