What’s The State Of Your Heart? (1) By Babatunde Olugboji
This week we will start a 2-week series on the state of a believer’s heart, a particularly important concept in the scripture.
The Bible mentions the heart almost 1,000 times, the summary of which is that the heart is that spiritual part of us where our emotions and desires dwell. The heart is also a deeply spiritual thing. We have a heart because God does. David was a man “after God’s own heart” (Acts 13:22). And God blesses His people with leaders who know and follow His heart (1 Samuel 2:35; Jeremiah 3:15).
However, the human heart, in its natural condition, is evil, treacherous and deceitful. “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?” (Jeremiah 17:9)
In other words, the fall of Adam and Eve (Genesis 3) has impacted us at the deepest level; our mind, emotions and desires have been tainted by sin -and even as believers, we may be unaware just how prevalent the problem is.
We may not understand our own hearts, but God does. He “knows the secrets of the heart” (Psalm 44:21). Jesus “knew all men and had no need that anyone should testify of man, for He knew what was in man” (John 2:24 – 25). He searches the heart, tests the mind, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings” (Jeremiah 17:10).
Jesus pointed out the fallen condition of our hearts: “From within, out of men’s hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. All these evils come from inside and make a man unclean.” (Mark 7:21-23) 
In other words, our biggest problem may not be things external, but things internal. Meaning we have a heart problem. For our salvation to be assured, we should daily cry out to God like David did, to create a new heart within us. (Psalm 51:10) Afterall, God has promised to “revive the heart of the contrite ones.” (Isaiah 57:15)
This week, why don’t you reflect, recalibrate and reconnect with God, as you consider the condition of your heart. And as you do so, I will encourage you pray along the points articulated below, and meditate on the accompanying Bible passages:
- God, I am aware that you know the state of my heart, and there is no point hiding anything from you. Please forgive me for my deliberate or inadvertent missteps, have mercy on me and touch my heart in a brand-new way. (Psalm 44:21; 1 Corinthians 14:25)
- All evil thoughts in my heart, thoughts that do not edify you [say out these thoughts to God] I confess them, I come clean before you, I rebuke them, and I am fully convinced that you will forgive me and remember my sins no more. (Mark 7:21-23)
- God, like David, I want to be a person after your heart. I come to you today sincerely, help me o God, to be who you want me to be (Acts 13:22).
Have a great week.
Kingdom Dynamics, a weekly column written by Dr. Babatunde Olugboji, the President, Kingdom House, a non-profit organization in New Jersey, USA.
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