You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.
(James 5:8)
On December 22, 2005, Matt Long, a member of the New York City Fire Department was riding his bike to a training session when he was hit by a twenty-ton bus. The bus didn’t just knock Long down; it ran over him. Long was impaled by his bike. Amazingly, he was not killed even though he suffered numerous injuries. Rescue workers extracted his body from the wreckage and transported him to a hospital where he received 68 units of blood and had 22 surgeries before his release five months later. The doctors working on Long were astounded that his heart was still pumping until a family member explained that Long had just qualified for the Boston Marathon. Because he was in top physical condition, Long’s heart was strong enough to keep pumping even though his body was seriously injured. His heart was strong! For the child of God, dealing with so many trails, troubles, and temptations, a strong spiritual heart is an absolute must. We must keep our heart strong – very strong – through the spiritual disciplines of daily prayer, fasting, the diligent study of God’s word, and maintaining devotional times with God. Yes, the Devil is busy. Yes, life can be harsh and hurtful. Yes, people will misunderstand you and wrongly judge you. But there is a spiritual answer to this real-life stuff. Keep your heart strong in God. With a strong heart, you will experience the growth and victory that God has ordained for your life. Don’t settle for weakness! Be determined to have a strong spiritual heart in your journey of faith. Let’s believe it and declare it. The increase, advancement, and growth of the Waterbury congregation will require that our people have strong hearts committed to God’s will and work. – Van Hardin