“The human heart in conflict with itself”

Our hearts are one of the hardest working organs in our body. Its only about the size of your fist. While working, the heart pumps blood through our body, supplies oxygen, nutrients and removes waste throughout the body.

Put your hand on your chest; slightly left of your breastbone. Feel it beat, working doing its job; all day every day? We dont even know it is working, it just does. Our hearts beat around 100,000 times a day, pumping 2,000 gallons of blood through 60,000 miles of blood vessels.

William Faulkner who coined the phrase ” The human heart in conflict with itself” was expressing the experience we have when we struggle with internal contradictions and opposing desires, values and beliefs. Gods word speaks of the heart as the center of a persons being, influencing thought’s, emotions, decisions, and out actions.

I have collected heart rocks over the years. A moment from the places I have been. The spot I experienced a great sense of joy and even heart ache. Most of the time I am just walking and will see a rock that resembles a heart. I pick it up and rub my fingers over the shape. I can close my eyes and know that the Holy Spirit is there. That God resides in my heart for I have chosen to follow Jesus Christ.

God designed the heart; different for everyone but doing the same job each day. God gave us a place where we can hold onto our truths. A place to guard with pure thoughts and aligned with Gods will for us.

In Revelations 3:20 we read; Here I am! I stand at the door of your heart and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me. Wow! sitting down with Jesus just talking. Seeking His plan. Asking for His direction in our life and teaching us to be more like Him. Humble, pure, honest and forgiving.

We cant have pure thoughts and desires if our hearts are void of the Holy Spirit. In Mark 7:21a we read; For from within us out of the heart, comes evil. The strongest mussel in our body that is there to remove toxins can be full of deceit, envy, pride and foolishness. So when we invite Jesus into our hearts; to sit at our table where we bring our every need; the Holy Spirit sits with us and listens until we release our toxins to Him. Isaiah 1:18 – ‘though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.”

1 Peter 2:5a “You yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be holy.” 1 Corinthians 6:19 “Do you know that your body, your heart is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you.”

Put your hand over your heart again. Feel it beat. That beat is the love you can share with others. It is the joy you see around you. It is the peace you can feel when life tugs us away from God. Once we have made the decision to follow Jesus, the Holy Spirit becomes part of us. We can never lose this. What a great gift! Even when we sin, we can count on the Holy Spirit still being with us. Listening to our true self and providing forgiveness.

Ephesians 1:13 “And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in Him with a seal, the promise of the Holy Spirit.”

Know this today and always; the Holy Spirit is with you. Stay in Gods word, rest at His table and seek His will in your life.

God Bless You each and every day!