Fifteen years ago I stood in the NICU watching the nurses prepare my newborn for heart surgery. She was just two weeks old and so tiny. Heart surgery was necessary. The heart catheterization just four days earlier had shown the constriction of the aorta. That impacted her blood pressure and the only way to correct the problem was open-heart surgery. Heart surgery was needed.

Now 15 years later I sit listening to that same girl dancing around in her room, listening to her music, and loving life. That and so much more is possible because of heart surgery that was needed.

Heart surgery gave my daughter a healthy heart for her to live life. We need heart surgery so that we can live healthy Christian lives.

Your Heart Matters

Your hearts matters. Physically our heart indicates the health of our bodies. For Miss K the constriction of the aorta impacted her health. Spiritually the condition of our heart impacts our health. Things might look good on the outside but if the heart is not healthy, it won’t be long and the impact will be seen on the outside as well. Looking at that newborn I saw blue fingers and knew the heart was not healthy.

“Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.” Proverbs 4:23 (ESV)

What does Heart Surgery do?

Physically heart surgery corrects the problem that is impacting our whole body or at a minimum, it improves the quality of life. In the case of my daughter, heart surgery was necessary so that she could live, the constricted aorta was impacting her blood pressure.

Spiritually heart surgery digs deep into our lives and addresses the root issues. We can do all kinds of things to make the outside look nice but if we do not address the heart issue we are not addressing the problem. The heart issues could be fears, worries, selfishness, pride, bitterness, or other areas that are deep in our hearts. Things might look good and okay on the outside but we know that deep in things are not good. We have sins that must be dealt with so that we truly are healthy Christians.

Heart Surgery Takes Time

Prior to the actual surgery for our daughter, there were various tests and procedures helping the doctors to know what they would be dealing with when it came to performing the actual surgery. After all the procedures including the heart catheterization which was traumatic for her, it was time for the surgery. The surgery itself took a few hours. Then there is the recovery time. Heart surgery takes time but it is time well spent.

Spiritual heart surgery takes time. Time to sit and reflect to look within our own hearts. I am convinced more and more that at least in my life, I do not take the time to truly sit and reflect. Time is needed to be able to dig deep and look at our heart issues. We need to learn to sit and look within but then we need to look at the cross for there we find the answer to our heart issues.

Learn to be like Dorothy and look deep into your own heart.

Heart Surgery Follow-up

Through the years our daughter has had numerous follow-up appointments with cardiologists. Finding a cardiologist has been on the top of the list when we move to a new location. The cardiologists are examining to see that the heart is still healthy. Thankfully her heart has continued to be healthy and no further treatment is needed.

We need to have heart check-ups examining our spiritual hearts. My daughter sees the cardiologist every two years which is great but our spiritual hearts need more frequent follow-up. Take the time to examine your heart. We each have different struggles. I have written some of my struggles in my prayer journal. It is just a place for me to be reminded of previous issues and examine to see if they are creeping into my heart again.

I am thankful that 15 years ago the doctor was willing to take the risks and perform surgery on that newborn. It was risky not just because heart surgery is risky but because of complications that she had during the heart catheterization. Today she is singing, dancing, and loving life because of that surgery.

I am sitting here pondering how my life would be if I were to have spiritual heart surgery. Would I find more joy, more contentment, more love? What about you? What would happen to your life if you had spiritual heart surgery?