After a night full of bed-wetting kids and a screaming 21 month old, it’s helpful to think about Jesus’ words: “Do not let your heart be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me” (John 14:1). Granted he wasn’t talking about me and my evening, but I think it’s always helpful to remember something from this verse: you are in charge of your heart.
Same with Matthew 6:33; Jesus teaches that we can control our hearts by generosity. Proverbs (7:25, 24:17) assumes you can control your heart’s response to beautiful–and potentially adulterous–women, and the temptation to gloat over your enemies. I know this is possible because, as a Cardinals fan, I really do pity the Cubs and their futility.
Seriously, it is not true that our hearts control us, and that we follow them.
And the solution to a troubled heart is (1) belief (John 14:1), and (2) the peace Jesus leaves with us as he takes his place on his father’s throne, which is not something that the world can give (John 14:27-28). And the world can only take it away if you let it…
This is really good, Jason. We live in such a subjective age that we all assume we “fall” in (and out of) love, that large structures and ideas have victimized us, and that we are supposed to feel our way through life (including the Christian one).
Thanks for the reminder that we do have some created capacity for mastery.
I agree with Ed, feelings are over rated. We are in control of our hearts to some degree. While we are still covered in Sin we are making decisions daily in which we ignore the Holy Spirit and choose our own demise. The “devil made me do it” philosophy needs to take a hike. Thanks Jason – great reminder.