The Content Of Our Heart Defines Our Lives

DAILY VITAMIN
- The Content Of Our Hearts Defines Our Lives
"Keep and guard your heart with all vigilance and above all that you guard, for out of it flow the springs of life." (Proverbs 4:23 AMP)
   The state of our hearts ultimately determine the eventual state of our lives. What we see colouring our everyday realities are basically the tool sets our own heart has permitted. Remember those wise words, "as a man thinks in his heart, so is he" (Proverbs 23:7). And so that means no man can rise above the latent content of his heart. If a man thinks negatively all the time, negative images will colour his everyday moments; and if he thinks positive things, he will receive positive occurrences as well.
   As Jesus said, a good man brings good treasures into his life from the reservoir he holds deeply situated in his heart, and likewise the evil (Matt 12:35). We attract into our lives what we really are on the inside; and this reflects in our words, thoughts and actions. I tell people that our events never determine our identity; on the contrary, our identity defines our events. That is, who we are, or are becoming as revealed by the substance on our hearts, determines what we get or receive in life.
   Let's learn a few things from Paul's letter to Titus. Paul said "A person who is pure of heart sees goodness and purity in everything; but a person whose own heart is evil and untrusting finds evil in everything, for his dirty mind and rebellious heart colours all he sees and hears" (Titus 1:15 TLB). Did you get that? All you see in life is a picture of what you are inside. The situation may not look good, but your reaction to it reveals who you really are on the inside. Such a fellow as Paul spoke of always expect good or bad things to happen to him or her, not based on the circumstances surrounding him or her, but based on how he or she has interpreted them; as such, based on the state of their hearts.
   Remember, circumstances don't define us. They might affect us, but they don't control us. The quality of our heart content controls us. If we cry or rejoice is subject to the state of our heart, not circumstances. We doubt God in hard times not because the present times seem hard, but because our heart has lost its substance of faith at the moment. What our heart contains is what our lives will pour out in our day to day moments. And so, we are sternly advised to guard our hearts and to prepare it for all forms of goodliness we expect to experience in life. Phil 4:8 says "For the rest, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is worthy of reverence and is honorable and seemly, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely and lovable, whatever is kind and winsome and gracious, if there is any virtue and excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think on and weigh and take account of these things [fix your minds on them]." Take a cue from that, and reinvent your life by changing the contents of your heart. And this you can do by feeding it constantly with the Word of God.

Prayer:
Father, I pray for a renewal of my mind, my thoughts and imaginations. Prepare my heart to know your will concerning every situation, and to fulfill your plans and purposes. As I give study to your Word, let my heart be transformed to become more and more like Christ's, in Jesus Name. Amen.