“Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life.” (Prov. 4:23)
What is the heart, and how do we function from it? According to Vine’s Expository Dictionary, the main Hebrew word for heart is Lēb, which means the center of a thing. For humans, this refers to the seat of our thoughts, will, and emotions. As such, the heart appears to be a part of the soul. The word for “soul” (nephesh) is sometimes translated as “heart”. “For as he thinks in his heart (soul), so is he.” (Prov. 23:7). On the other hand, Scripture sometimes speaks of it as distinct from the soul. “And all Judah rejoiced at the oath, for they had sworn with all their heart (Lēdāb) and sought Him with all their soul; and He was found by them, and the Lord gave them rest all around.” (2Chron. 15:15). Lēdāb, which is a synonym of Lēb, refers to the “inner man”.
The heart is also distinct from the spirit. “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.” (Ps. 51:10). Our spirit and the Holy Spirit are one. (1Cor. 6:17). If we want to perceive the thoughts of the Spirit, we must listen with our heart. “I meditate within my heart, and my spirit makes diligent search.” (Ps. 77:6b).
We have often heard the advice that we should follow our heart. This is the only way to be true to ourselves, but it requires that the motives of our heart be pure. Jesus told His disciples, “A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things.” (Matt. 15:35). When we are born again spiritually, we are given a clean new heart (Ezek. 18:31). By grace, we can maintain this heart in purity.
The Apostle Paul used the illustration of a ship on the waters to describe our walk of faith (1Tim. 1:19). Lifting the sails of our heart, we capture the wind of the Spirit. There are other winds, so we must be careful to follow only the Holy Spirit. Many are afraid to walk by faith because they are afraid of getting into error. We need not fear error if we remain humble and are motivated by love, which issues from “a pure heart, a good conscience, and from sincere faith.” (1Tim. 1:5). A good conscience is needed to maintain a pure heart. Without these, we will go shipwreck in our walk. Paul gives Timothy examples of ministers who suffered this fate (1Tim. 1:20; 2Tim. 2:17).
Everything flows from the heart. Even when we operate from our minds, we reflect a condition of the heart, which in this case could be unbelief. The parable of the Sower describes the conditions that will produce a good crop. It begins with good soil, which we have if we are born again. Next, we need to cultivate it, plant the right seeds, provide the proper environment, and keep it free of weeds.
Cultivating the soil of our heart will remove any hard areas and dislodge the weeds that have been growing there. This is an ongoing process as we go in to possess the land of our soul. Hard areas of soil are the result of having been trampled on. We all have areas that need deliverance and healing. Most of this happens in the beginning of our walk, but the process of transformation will continue until we reach maturity. These areas are part of my soul; I do not regard them as part of my heart until they come to the surface. Then I deal with them through forgiveness, repentance, and faith.
Planting the right seeds is such a joyful time, so full of hope. In the natural, we give a lot of attention to the seeds we plant. It is no different for the garden of our heart. The passage of Scripture that exhorts us to “keep our hearts” also tells us to listen attentively to instruction and to hide it in our heart (Prov. 4:20,21). We have control over what seeds are planted in our heart. Jesus taught us to seek first the kingdom of God, “For where you treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Lu. 12:34). “Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.” (Col. 3:2,3).
The main way to grow a good crop is to develop a relationship with God in the Holy Spirit. “But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it.” (Matt. 13:23). The seeds we plant must have time to germinate and grow. This means they must be meditated upon until spiritual understanding comes, then they must be acted upon. The Holy Spirit provides the moisture, and the Son provides the light energy. The Father is the Gardener who oversees the entire process. “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.” (Jn. 14:23). If we fellowship with God in our heart, He will make His home there.
As everyone knows, once you plant a garden, it must be tended. Keeping the weeds from growing is essential. No-one likes to deal with sin. The problem is we tend to punish ourselves for it, but that will not cleanse us. Only the blood of Jesus can do this, and it is given freely. “For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things. Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God.” (1Jn. 3:20,21). As we choose to believe the love that God has for us (1Jn. 4:16), we can let Him search our heart for anything that will harm us (Ps. 139:23,24). We cannot do this effectively ourselves because our heart may deceive us (Jer. 17:9,10). We must depend on the Holy Spirit to convict us of what is wrong (Jn. 16:8). Guarding our heart is intentional and it requires diligence.
“But the ones (seeds) that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience.” (Lu. 8:15).
Highway in the Wilderness 