Our hearts can be like a box of chocolates, both sweet and bitter

"Create in me a clean heart and renew a right spirit within me."

-Psalm 51:10

As I walked down the aisle of the corner store, I was distracted from my routine shopping trip when heart-shaped boxes lining the shelves caught my eye. There were a variety of shapes and sizes available to give to a friend or sweetheart.

Being a heart lover myself, I took a few moments to admire the array of beautiful covers. Some had big, red ribbons across the front, while others were dressed in bows and wrapped in delicate, red cellophane.

Since my childhood I've enjoyed the loving sentiments that a Valentine's Day heart represents. But I also couldn't wait to lift the lids on the boxes of candy and get my hands on the chocolate delights inside. Some heart boxes contained my favorite candies, such as crunchy nut clusters or smooth vanilla creams covered in rich, dark chocolate.

But I soon discovered those boxes also contained a few undesirable pieces too. Rather than the tasty candies I was looking for, I found the ones that were bitter or distasteful to my pallet. It didn't take me long to simply discard the chocolates that were undesirable and eat the ones that satisfied my sweet tooth.

Just as lifting the lid off those beautiful, heart-shaped boxes exposed a variety of tasteful and distasteful chocolates, our human hearts can be the same way. When opened, our feelings, thoughts, emotions, values and decisions can be a rich, sweet delight or a distasteful array of bitterness, lies or hurtful sentiments.

These attitudes break the hearts of those around us and cause damage to our emotional health as well.

When we reflect on our interactions with others, how do we respond when someone has disappointed us or we are upset over something? Are we unkind? Has disappointment left our heart feeling fearful and anxious?

Practicing forgiveness or confronting with a warm, kind tone helps soften the bitterness of our hardened heart. Trusting God with our hurts, desires and disappointments can also change resentment into a new dream and vision.

Asking God to create a new heart in us can help us reach our full potential and our hearts can be beautiful like those delightful valentines.

• Annettee Budzban is a Christian author, speaker, life coach and nurse. She can be contacted at annetteebudzban@aol.com or (847) 543-8413.