In the last post, we looked at what the heart is. In this part we shall examine what the affairs of the heart is and how we are to deal with them.
What are the affairs of the heart?
When we speak of the affairs of our hearts, we are referring to the thoughts, emotions, concerns, and experiences that unfold within us—those inner events and dealings that shape who we are.
Our lives are filled with various affairs—our daily challenges, our jobs, our families, the constant juggling of responsibilities, the rat race of the world’s system, our calling, our ministries, and more. These are the affairs of our hearts, and they take precedence in our lives. How we navigate and respond to them will ultimately shape the course of our lives. This is why the Bible urges us to guard our hearts with all diligence, for everything we do flows from it – Proverbs 4:23. King Solomon’s wise words highlight the profound importance of protecting our hearts, as they are the wellspring of our actions.
Why we might ask? Because the heart is very powerful. Remember, we talked about our heart being the source of our thoughts, attitudes, beliefs, and actions. As a result, it drives our actions and influences our thoughts. It can either lead us down a part of righteousness or a path of destruction because of its susceptibility to sinful thoughts, attitudes, and beliefs. So, we need to be careful what we allow into our hearts.
Also, guarding our hearts protects us from both internal and external influences. Internal factors include the thoughts and emotions we harbor within. They can be negative stemming from negativity, bitterness, or pain from past and present experiences. They can also be positive- from the word of God or pleasant experiences and thoughts. External influences, on the other hand, are factors outside of us that can impact our hearts. These include the words and actions of others, the media we consume, societal pressures, environmental stressors, and temptations. These can shape our thoughts, emotions, and actions, so it’s important to guard our hearts from their negative influence —Ephesians 4:31.
One way to guard our hearts is to choose to forgive easily to help prevent malice from taking root and overtaking our minds. This can be hard for us in our normal strength, which is why the scriptures encourage us to cast our cares upon the Lord, for he cares for us 1 Peter 5:7. God understands that hurt can be painful and hard to handle ourselves Hebrews 4:15, which is why he encourages us to come unto him all who are burdened and heavily laden – Matthew 11:28-29. He understands the pressure of hurt, fear, anxiety, and worry, and he invites us to bring it to him; in doing so, he takes our own “heavy” burden and gives us his rest in exchange – Matthew 11:28.
God’s rest differs from the rest of the world, which is usually superficial and often comes with strings attached. God’s rest like his love is light, unconditional, and not transactional (i.e., not based on if I do something for you, then I expect something back) – Matthew 11:28-30. His rest guides our hearts to trust Him and keeps us anchored in His peace as long as we keep our hearts focused on Him- Isaiah 26:3. His rest is also our ever-present help in trouble Psalm 46, Psalm 46:1. So, if at any time we find our hearts faced with challenges that threaten to surmount us, then as Christians and believers in Christ have an ever-present help to call upon. God can do anything (as long as it is in his will for us) and rescue us from any situation we may find ourselves in, no matter how challenging. His solution may not be what we want, but if you are patient and bear with him, you will realize that his plans are indeed best for you Isaiah 55:8-9; Jeremiah 29:11.
Let us allow His rest to guide us in focusing on seeking wisdom and guidance from God for our hearts. Proverbs 4:7 reminds us that wisdom is the foundation of life.
For anyone reading this who has not yet experienced the love of God in your heart due to the deception and corruption of sin in our human nature, which has separated us from God, the good news is that Jesus came to reconcile us to God. Through His death on the cross at Calvary, He made it possible for us to be restored to a relationship with God—Colossians 1:22-23.
If you believe in your heart that you are a sinner and feel far from God, the good news, my friend, is that there is forgiveness available to you, and you can be saved and restored to God.
The Bible says in Romans 10: 9, “If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. Romans 10:10 says, “For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified (made right with God- repentance), and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved (salvation). Romans 10:11-13 explains further that, As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.” There is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
So, my friend, what are you waiting for? Whatever the world offers is temporal and fleeting and is nothing compared to the peace and eternal glory Christ offers. Also, what shall it profit you to gain the whole world and then lose your soul eternally in hell? Mark 8:36-38. We have the eternal word of God, which never fails and never puts us to shame. Come to him today while he may be found. Do not harden your heart but allow the Lord of host to take his place in your heart today.
The choice is ours; if you are ready to change and start living the life God has planned for you, please say this prayer:
Dear God, I am a sinner, and I admit that I do things my way. Please forgive me and accept me into your family in Jesus’s name.
If you say this prayer sincerely and believe it in your heart – your inner being, you are born again and have become grafted into the family of almighty God. Welcome to the family. Please find a bible based church where you can fellowship and be discipled; your life will never be the same again.
I love you and God bless. Feel free to reach out, I am always happy to hear from you.