Today the Lord has brought me to the subject of my heart. I had been thinking that my struggle was with my thoughts and just simply being distracted by lots of other things and that was what was keeping me away from God. Today He revealed to me that the problem is deeper than just my thoughts because it is centered on matters of what's in my heart.
"For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks." Matthew 12:34
"The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks." Luke 6:45
"For from within, out of men's hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance, and folly." Mark 7:21-22
Simply the fact that I was thinking about these things showed that they held a high place in my heart. I could try to ignore them and pretend that they weren't really there but I feel like that is almost as crippling as dwelling on them for extended periods of time. Because whether I confront them or ignore them they're still there. I've come to see that it's much better to confront these things because they show where I am placing my hope.
"As water reflects a face, so a man's heart reflects the man." Proverbs 27:19
What do I trust in? What do I place my hope in? What do I look to for satisfaction? If the answer is not God then there is something wrong. Though I like to say that all of those questions are answered with "God" I know that if the words I speak and the things that I think reflect what's in my heart then the answer isn't always God.
"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven where moth and rust do not destroy and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is there you heart will be also." Matthew 6:19-21
I want my treasure to be in heaven because I want my heart to be in heaven! I desperately want to say that the Lord is my first love and my greatest love! I want to be able to say that my hearts cry is like Pauls,
"But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus, my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ-- the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow to attain to the resurrection from the dead." Philippians 3:7-11
I was searching through the Bible for verses about the heart and some that really struck me and made me want to press in more include:
"Turn my heart towards your statutes and not towards selfish gain." Psalm 119:36
"Teach me your way, O Lord, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name." Psalm 86:4
"Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom." Psalm 90:12
"I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands." Psalm 119:10
"Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me." Psalm 51:10
"May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer." Psalm 19:14
"Test me, O LORD, and try me, examine my heart and mind." Psalm 26:2
"And you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts. If you seek him he will be found by you..." 1 Chronicles 28:9
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