Open Hearts
One of the Holy Spirit's great gifts is a daily renewal of our faith in Christ. Abiding in Christ means allowing the Spirit of God to breathe on the truth of God’s word. It means resting in God’s presence and opening up to God's work in our hearts.
Ephesians 1:7 ESV says, “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace.” This one verse packs a depth of information that is well worth exploring. However, it is good to remember that the word of God doesn’t just speak to our minds. It also reaches our hearts and souls.
How does your heart respond to the revelation of the riches of God’s grace?
I am tempted to ignore, suppress, or even resist my heart's response to God’s word because it doesn’t always materialize in clear words and ideas in my mind. I don’t always know what is happening in my heart when it is moved in prayer and worship, much less when I am reading the word or sitting under a pastor's teaching.
We can recognize that our hearts are different than our minds. Our minds are sharpened by the truth of God, bringing clarity and revelation to things formerly unknown or not understood. The things of the heart are often like tectonic plates moving beneath the surface. The movements are sometimes slower—gradually shifting into place. The mind's thoughts are more rapid, like the currents of a stream. Their movement is more noticeable. The pathways are clear. The direction of travel can be observed. Our hearts sometimes take days, weeks, months, and years to move to where they need to go.
Faith and trust become essential parts of stewarding the life of the heart. Where a revelation takes one inspired moment to lock into place, a new heart posture will often take time. Of course, God can bring earthquake movement and volcanic eruptions that radically renew our hearts. Still, my experience and observation from trusted believers is that Jesus is careful and patient with how he moves our hearts.
God fills our hearts like a gardener planting seeds in his garden. James 1:21 (ESV) says, “Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.”
What does it look like to meekly receive the implanted word of God? Perhaps it means to consistently, patiently, and reverently live in a posture of openness before God. Lengthen your timeline for heart growth. Don’t expect every heart renewal to happen overnight. Sometimes, the best work God can do in our hearts is not the miracle of a moment but the renewal of a season.
The hidden work of the Spirit in our hearts should not be underestimated. Pay attention to the state of your heart. Watch how you respond to God’s word. Put your heart before God’s word humbly, and trust God to guide you into life and peace.
Amen.
