Is it a Heart Condition or a Condition of the Heart?
Sitting quietly, I noticed I could hear my heart beating. Thump, thump, thump – perfect rhythm, but loud and clear. I told my eye doctor and my family practitioner about it and both advised me to see a cardiologist – just to be sure there wasn’t something out of order. Now, mind you – I’m not prone to doctor visits, but I heeded their advice. Thankfully the two tests – a carotid doppler and an echo showed no concerns except a little plaque build-up. She advised me to eat less red meat, avoid saturated fats and get plenty of exercise. I’m taking her advice! And, as for hearing my heart beat ❤️❤️❤️ I’m taking it as a way to have better rhythm with this built-in metronome inside me. ?
More serious to me than a physical heart condition, is the condition of my spirit aka my heart. You know, the heart that is pure and merry (like a good medicine) or we let down our guard and negative thoughts and attitudes show up that can cause a build-up of wrong thinking in our heart. No matter if everything is A-okay on my pumping heart, if the heart of my inner man is harboring grudges, fears, anxieties and concerns – then I have a condition of my heart that REALLY needs to be tended to.
It starts with a regular check-up. The cardiologist advised that I should come back in two years for a heart check-up to be sure all is well. As Christians, we need regular “heart” check-ups too. We can go through all the motions of being a devoted follower of Christ, but if our attitude-indicator (our heart) reveals “heart issues”, then we’d best be doing something about it.
King Solomon in Proverbs 4:23 said it best: “Above all else, guard your heart, for it determines the course of your life.” Notice that it says, we need to guard our heart. Sounds like a full-time job because the wily enemy sneaks in when we least expect it with his evil tactics. But, never fear — because the GREATER ONE partners with us with a shield of peace. And, peace is sure what we need to set us on the right course for our lives.
Philippians 4:7 says “And the PEACE of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” That is why we need regular check-ups. It may look like a friend, spouse, or children are giving us a hard time and the angst is building up on the inside of our heart – but in reality, it’s the tactics of the enemy who steals the peace in our hearts. But, when we apply the PEACE shield, our hearts are protected. Aw! Sweet peace that is like a the medical procedure that opens up blockages for better blood flow to the heart.
God always provide us with ways of succeeding in this life. His peace is a guard for us. “No peace. No God. Know God. Know peace.” No question — it can be a work out because we don’t know when and what will come up to steal our peace. That’s why partnering with the Holy Spirit will keep our heart right as we pray prayers like this: “Create in me a clean heart, oh Lord, and renew a right spirit within me.” Psalm 51:10.
Oh the rewards for having a pure heart! Matthew 5:8 says, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” What is the condition of your heart? Maybe it’s time for a Holy Spirit check-up! God knows our hearts, and most importantly, He has our hearts that are surrendered, pliable, and tender toward Him — He Who gave His heart for us.