I’ve come to appreciate the importance of having an open heart on the bumpy roads and the smooth. An open heart brings us joy and peace. A closed or hardened heart brings burden, prevents us from caring or feeling all the good life has to offer, and pushes love away. It creates a gap between us and God and distances us from all the good we deserve.

Being open-hearted is like a double-edged sword for the good. The benefits are both self-serving and for others. During a recent challenging time, I prayed for an open heart. Everyday I thanked God for blessing me with His love and strength, with patience and forgiveness, and to be compassionate in a situation that brought nothing but destructive emotions. I asked for others to be open and receptive to the good in the situation rather than dwelling on the negative aspects and to let God in, always trusting they would obtain all I was praying for myself. Thankfully, all turned out for the best.

The bonus of having a pure and open heart: we get to feel love in all ways. After all, who doesn’t want or need to love or be loved?

Sharon – Embracing My Joy

“Gratefulness leads to a widely opened heart. You cannot receive anything great in life with a closed heart. Be grateful and reap the benefits!” ― Assegid Habtewold, The 9 Cardinal Building Blocks: For Continued Success in Leadership