Verle Bell M.D.
[Originally published as So, What Does Your Heart Think About That?]
As a man thinketh in his heart so is he. (Proverbs 23:7)
What is the heart? is it about romantic feelings or feelings of rage or jealousy?
The Bible tells us that David was a man after God’s own heart (Acts 13:22). What does that mean?
I believe that the heart is:
The chatter going on under the surface as I process what I really think.
This can happen even when my face is all smiles to fool those around me and often to fool myself.
Of course God is not two faced, but I am! With God what you see is what you get. His heart and his face always match up. That’s why he sent his son Jesus so that I could see him and know what God is really like.
I like to think that, as God was sitting in his throne room and the angels were wondering what he was thinking about, down inside he was pondering his servant David or his servant Job (1:8). How much he loved them and sought their good.
I know my thoughts of you thoughts of good and not of evil to bring you a good end. (Jeremiah 29:11)
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My Thoughts are Trying to Escape
We are to take every thought into captivity (2 Corinthians 10:5). I guess my thoughts are trying to escape and cause havoc running here and there and need to be captured.
Self-Examination
I need to listen to my heart at specific moments throughout the day. My recommendation is to do this at lunch, supper, and bedtime (Psalm 55:17).
- Does my internal chatter match the person others think that I am?
- Am I thinking how lucky I am that God himself dotes on me?
- Am I thinking how my friends, family, and acquaintances are so helpful kind, wise, enthusiastic, timely, organized, creative, intelligent, gifted, etc?
- Am I focusing on the good in the outer realities and events around me (Philippians 4:8)?
When I find fault, no one changes — certainly not me!
When I mull on the positives of others, then choose to encourage and bless them, there is hope of influence.
Of course, it’s not enough to offer an irritating, “God bless you,” holier than you comment, this requires me to be specific enough to offer a “I’ve seen this good character in you” comment.
Am I thinking that the stresses of today were prepared by my loving Lord and that it is so cool that he designed me to be the exact right one to handle them (Ephesians 2:10)?
When God brings an angry or needy person across my path, do I offer a prayer of “Thanks, help, and show me how you want to reach out to this person through me”?
A church member was causing a lot of irritation with his brethren and they smiled and put up with him but down under in their hearts they were thinking on how he was such an irritating, lazy good for nothing. Much to their joy, he moved and started to attend another church in his new town. A brother from the first church met a friend from the second and with a knowing wink and a nudge said, “so how are things going now that you have so and so in your church?” Much to his surprise the second man replied,” Oh he’s been such a blessing, as we have had to seek the Lord’s presence to support, rebuke and restore him! Why we’ve all grown leaps and bounds!”
What made the difference?
The chatter of the heart fit their stated beliefs.
They said that the way for all men to know that we are God’s disciples is by seeing how we love the brethren(John 13:35), and they were allowing their heart to think along those lines.
God loves it when I am like him with a heart that lines up with what I portray to myself and others on the outside.
Lord, may the meditations of my heart be acceptable in your sight and fill you with delight as your heart thinks on me and my heart thinks on you and your awesome ways!
