Condition of the Heart

The past few weeks, the Lord has really been challenging me with 'the condition of the heart' - and MY heart more specifically. It had been on my mind a lot, and then this past week in chapel, someone spoke on it.

Sometimes the christian life can become so complex. We occupy ourselves with so many things - things to do, things to worry about, things to pray about, how to serve the Lord better, and the list goes on. We get so caught up in DOING that we forget just to be still.

This week I have realized how much I, as a christian, can cheer other believers on to a better spiritual life by giving them tips, scripture, guidance, etc. while my heart sits there unattended to. I am not suggesting that encouraging others is a bad thing; however, when we drive ourselves so hard towards the goal of spurring others on, and forget our own heart, we neglect the most vulnerable and vital part of life and our relationship with the Lord. We look great from the outside, but on the inside, we have become stone and callused.

Solomon, a man who had been through it all, a man who had served others and been in leadership understood what it was like to be in a place of 'looking great on the outside, but stone within'. He wanted us to so badly understand this concept when he said in Proverbs 4:23 "Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life."

I will be very honest - I can be vigilant about many things, but my heart is usually not at the top of the list. This week has been a humbling realization that  I can be vigilant about serving, ministry, and relationships, but the thing that Solomon says to guard the MOST just sits and watches, longing for some attention, and I ignore it.

How am I (and you) guarding my heart today? What am I doing to make sure that my heart stays receptive to what the Lord is trying to teach me? I am reminded of the simplicity of the christian life when someone first becomes a believer.  When you first gave your heart to God, I don't think you were thinking about what great things you were going to go DO for the Lord, who you were going to serve, what ministry you would participate in - you simply wanted to be before Him with an open Heart. You wanted Him to have your heart, and for Him to fill your heart.... Your heart was PRIORITY before the Lord, and the condition of your heart was important.

I know I need to come back to this a lot more often than I do! My heart is needy, and the Lord is jealous for it!  How is your heart today?