THE HEART OF THE PROBLEM IS THE PROBLEM OF THE HEARTJohn went to church one day. As the congregation worshipped he thought to himself, "Why does the music need to be so loud? And do we really need drums in church?" When the congregation was seated he noticed two teenagers chatting together, and he remarked to himself, "So typical of young people today - no respect for God or anyone!" As the pastor was preaching, John thought to himself, "I can never understand why preachers take forty minutes to say what could be said in just twenty minutes." Then, when the pastor announced that they would be taking up a second offering in the service John said to himself, "Money, money, money. All the church wants is your money." As he left the church that morning, John mumbled, "Never again! I'm not going back to that church!" Jeremy went to church one day. During the time of worship he smiled as the song the congregation sang reflected so well the love that was in his heart towards God. He couldn't help noticing a row of teenagers in front of him, and was thankful that his church was reaching the youth of the community. Jeremy especially appreciated the sermon, as the pastor addressed a particular dilemma he was facing. "It's like Pastor Wayne knows all about what I'm going through!" he thought. He was also glad when it was announced that they would be taking up an extra offering that morning to help sink a well in a remote village in Central Africa. After the service was over Jeremy had a cup of coffee and caught up with a few others. Then, heading for his car he said to himself, "What a great meeting! I can't wait for next Sunday!" John and Jeremy both went to the same church on the same day. Why did both men respond to the same situation in a completely different way? Why is it that to some people the glass is half full and to others it's half empty? Why does one person respond to frustrating circumstances patiently, and another angrily?
HOW YOU SEE IT AND HOW IT IS Everything we do in this life is a result of that which is in our hearts. In the book of Proverbs we are instructed, "Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life" (Prov.4:23). Both John and Jeremy found what they were looking for; they found that which was in their hearts. Everything that took place in the service passed through the filter of their hearts. And that's why they responded differently. That's why we all see things differently. You may disagree with others about an issue, and end up saying, "Well, that's just the way I see it." But the way you see it is not necessarily the way it is. You are seeing it only from your perspective, a viewpoint that's been shaped by the condition of your heart. Let's look at what we mean when we talk about the heart. The Hebrew word for 'heart' is the word leb, which means midst; the inner, centre or middle of a thing. The heart is the inner being which controls all we do. It is the real you. The Bible speaks of, "the hidden man of the heart", in contrast to the outer man. When God sent the prophet Samuel to the house of Jesse to anoint Saul's replacement as the next king of Israel, Jesse lined up his seven oldest sons. As Samuel was about to anoint the oldest, God prevented him, saying, "Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the LORD does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart" (1 Sam.16:7). It is not our appearance, our physique or anything external that will determine our quality of life. We will live our lives based on the condition of the heart. God, who searches the hearts of men and women, knew the true state of the heart of each of the seven sons of Jesse, and therefore He knew how each one would behave if appointed king. Maybe God saw in these men, hearts similar to that of Saul's; hearts set on their own ways and not on the ways of God. Or, maybe He saw that when facing the enemy in the midst of battle their hearts would melt away. That's why He gave this statute governing warfare to the nation of Israel, "What man is there who is fearful and fainthearted? Let him go and return to his house, lest the heart of his brethren faint like his heart" (Deut.20:8). In contrast to these seven brothers, God saw that David had a heart after His own heart. He knew David's heart was established in such a way that he would place God's will ahead of his own. Also, David's heart was persuaded that whenever God asked him to fight a battle on His behalf, victory would be assured. Knowing David's heart, God already knew what his choices and behaviour would be. The physical heart is the chief organ of the body. It occupies the most important place in the human system. It is from the heart that blood is pumped to every cell of the body. The state of the heart, therefore, will determine the health of the whole body. A diseased heart will result in a sick body. Similarly, whatever is in our inner being will impact our decisions, our character and our conduct. It is the mainspring of our lives. That's why we are urged to keep it, or guard it, with all diligence.
YOUR HEART A STOREHOUSE Let's look at the word 'heart' a little more closely. Some preachers and Bible commentators seem to confuse the words 'heart' and 'soul'. The heart (kardia) is not the soul (psuche), though it is related. The soul is comprised of three major components – the mind, through which we think, the emotions, through which we feel and the will through which we choose. Now admittedly the Bible does associate these at times with the heart. For example it might refer to the thoughts of one’s heart, or making proper choices with all our heart, or loving others with all our hearts. But there is a difference. Whilst we encounter life through the three primary faculties of the soul - mind, emotions and will - yet the heart is the place where we store the most significant experiences of life. This storehouse now influences and determines the way we live our lives today. Jesus said, "A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil" (Lk.6:45). What have you been storing in your heart? What are you storing there now? Every day your heart is being programmed by what you are choosing to retain there from all that is happening in your life. Your life flows out from your heart. Every response, reaction, decision and choice you make is determined by whatever is predominant in your heart.
THE SOIL OF YOUR HEART DETERMINES THE HARVEST OF YOUR LIFE This principle is the main point of the parable of the sower which Jesus told in Matthew 13. A man sowed some seed and it fell into four different types of ground. The quality of seed was the same, regardless of what kind of soil it fell upon, but the ultimate outcome of the seed varied dramatically. This was determined by the condition of the soil. Some seed fell by the wayside. This was a pathway which ran through the cornfields. People would walk along this path to get to where they were going, so as to avoid treading on the crops. The wayside, having been much trodden upon, was hard and so the seed never penetrated into the soil. It lay upon the top and the birds devoured it. The wayside soil depicts hearts which have become hardened through such things as pride, unbelief and sorrow and therefore are incapable of hearing and receiving the truth. The word 'hardened' in the Greek language means to make hard or callous. For example, concrete, when it is poured is soft. But the longer it is left in the sun the more it hardens. While it is still soft one can make an impression upon it, such as a footprint or the shape of a hand. But once it is set or hardened it is incapable of receiving any indentation. Another example of this word is when a person is learning to play a guitar. Initially the finger tips are very sensitive to the guitar strings. But after six weeks or so of regular practice the finger tips become hardened and calloused. They are now insensitive to the pain of the strings cutting into the skin. This explains why different people can respond in completely different ways to the same preaching or teaching from God’s Word. A soft heart will be receptive of the truth but a hardened heart will resist it. As the Word of God is being preached or shared it will hit the hardened heart and bounce off it. The Old Testament prophets were aware of this condition and often appealed to the Jews to break up the fallow ground of their hearts. Fallow ground is land that is left untilled or unsown after ploughing and has become hardened again. Some seed fell on stony ground, i.e. not earth mixed with stones, but a thin layer of soil on top of rock or a slab of limestone. Thus the soil was shallow and the seed had no depth for root, so when the sun played upon it, it was scorched. This portrays those who initially receive the Word but they have no root and when there is persecution or hardship they turn away from God. Their hearts were originally established in a faulty understanding of God. They believed in a God who existed to make sure their lives ran smoothly. They had never been taught that there are trials in the Christian life and that they would have to trust God for His grace on a moment by moment, day by day basis. And so when they hit a problem they crashed. Next, some seed fell into thorny ground. There is only a certain amount of nourishment in the ground. If the weeds get it, the wheat won't. The weeds will always choke out the good seed. Likewise, there is a limit to what a person can give their heart. No-one can serve two masters. In this parable the weeds denote one's trust in material things, in contrast to trusting in God. Jesus described materialism in two different terms – "the cares of this world" and "the deceitfulness of riches". Both the rich and the poor are represented here. The rich are in danger of being ensnared by the deceitfulness of riches. Wealth becomes deceitful when it gives a false sense of security. There's nothing wrong with wealth as such; the problem occurs when we transfer our confidence from God to our financial resources. That is why we are exhorted, "If riches increase, do not set your heart on them" (Psa.62:10). On the other hand, those struggling to make ends meet can have their hearts overcharged with care. They can be so focused on their economical situation that the concern to have their needs met becomes what controls the heart, instead of trusting in God. Either way, whether rich or poor the heart of the person who is governed by materialistic thinking will suffocate life-changing truth before it has the opportunity to grow to fruition. Finally, some seed fell upon good ground. Luke describes this soil as representing "an honest and good heart". This is a fertile heart, unencumbered by anything that will prevent the truth from producing a rich harvest. James puts it this way, "...therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls..." (Jas.1:17,18,21). A meek, teachable and receptive heart is a good heart. These four soil-types are just examples of different heart conditions. Of course, elsewhere the Bible speaks of other conditions such as a broken heart, a crooked heart, etc. The point is that people don't wake up one morning with one of these conditions of heart. They are the result of what has been accumulating there over a long period of time.
GOOD SEED + GOOD SOIL = GOOD HARVEST It's interesting to compare the various gospel accounts of this parable. In Mark's gospel, when sharing this parable Jesus said, "Take heed what you hear" (Mk.4:24). But according to Luke, Jesus also said, "Take heed how you hear" (Lk.8:18). The problem with the three unproductive parcels of ground was not that bad seed was sown into them. The seed was the same in each case. The problem was with the quality of soil. Likewise, good fruit in a person's life is not guaranteed just by hearing the truth; it depends also on how it is heard. Everything we do passes through the filter of the heart. That's why two people like John and Jeremy can be in the same situation and respond differently. As a pastor and Bible teacher it took me a long time to learn this lesson. Each time I discovered another aspect of life-transforming truth I got excited. I couldn't wait to share it with people and see it change their lives as it was beginning to change mine. But often only a small percentage would benefit from it. God's Word was the same good seed to everyone who heard it. Yet, the soil of their hearts was different and it was this that determined whether or not the seed would bear fruit. I was frustrated by the response (or lack of response!) But I was discovering afresh that I am only a co-worker together with God. I can preach and teach truth, but only God can change hearts.
EVERY TRUTH IS NOT FOR EVERY PERSON AT EVERY TIME That's why every truth is not for every person at every time. If a person's heart is not in the right condition, that person will repel truth. Every preacher would do well to heed the words of Solomon, "A wise man's heart discerns both time and judgment, because for every matter there is a time and judgment" (Ecc.8:5). Jesus understood this, for Mark tells us, "With many such parables He spoke the word to them as they were able to hear it." (Mk.4:33). Even at the end of His ministry He said, "I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now" (Jn.16:12). Obviously the disciples' hearts were not yet receptive to those things He wanted to share with them, but later the resurrection and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit would transform their hearts into fertile soil. Jesus, the master Teacher, gave this sound advice to those of us who minister His Word today, "Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season? Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing" (Matt.24:45&46). "Due season" in a person's life is determined by their heart's receptiveness. There are two signs which reveal that the soil of a person's heart might be changing into a state of receptivity. Firstly, when they are struggling in an area of life and the truth you want to share has the answer to that problem; secondly, when they ask a question relating to that truth. These things may indicate that a person's heart has softened in this area. When Jesus had finished telling this parable the disciples came to Him privately and asked Him to explain its meaning. Jesus was surprised that they didn't comprehend it and said to them that if they didn't grasp this parable they wouldn't understand any of His parables! If we don't understand that the heart of the human problem is the problem of the human heart then we will never know how to help others.
LIFE WORKS FROM THE INSIDE OUT Life works from the inside out, yet we try to get things to work from the outside. For example, in counselling, the human way of effecting change is often via behaviour modification. We try to get people to alter their behavioural patterns by making external changes to their lives. In contrast to this God's way of change is by transformation, i.e. truth working from the inside out. Every Christian has already been equipped for the totality of life. "His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness" (2 Pet.1:3). We might not yet know all those things which have been given to us in Christ Jesus, but to the degree that we discover the truth about His life which indwells us and write it upon our hearts, to that extent our lives will be changed. That's what transformation means. When truth is established in our hearts, then that which is on the inside will eventually manifest itself on the outside also. What is happening in your life right now is an outworking of that which is in your heart. If you believe you need to access more life and power externally, e.g. by seeking spiritual encounters on 'altar calls' or pursuing prophetic words from charismatic figures in the church, then you are demonstrating that you actually believe you are impoverished on the inside and need more supply from the outside. If that is the message which is established in your heart then it will be dispersed to every part of your being, controlling the way you live. You cannot live above the level of the condition of your heart. No external source, such as a goose bumps experience in an emotionally charged meeting or a personal prophecy from the flavour-of-the-month prophet, can fundamentally change your life. But you will experience God's transforming power as your heart is established in grace and truth. Remember, God's power works from the inside out. "Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think according to the power that works within us" (Eph.3:20).
SICKNESS AND HEALTH ALSO FLOW FROM THE HEART Similarly, we generally seek to access healing from the outside - whether naturally through conventional and alternative medicine, or supernaturally through prayer and faith in God. Let me be very clear that I am in no way decrying any of these methods; I believe in their legitimacy and make use of them, when needed, myself. But I believe we are seriously mistaken if we believe that health and healing are primarily sourced from the outside. Sickness and health usually work from the inside. It is often very difficult to distinguish whether a disease has a psychological root, however it is suggested that 70% of sicknesses are psychosomatic, i.e. illnesses which may be emotional or mental in origin but have physical symptoms. We are a psychosomatic whole. The word 'psychosomatic' is a combination of two Greek words: psyche = soul; soma = body. The state of the mind influences the health of the body. It is a medical fact that people who experience sustained negative emotions may well experience physical problems. Negative emotions and out of control thinking can cause stress to take its toll on our bodies. Prolonged periods of emotional tension may lead to hypersecretion and if persisted in result in sickness. What started in the mind ends in harmful consequences to the body. The Brittanica Concise Encyclopedia defines psychosomatic illness as a "bodily ailment or symptom, caused by mental or emotional disturbance, in which psychological stresses adversely affect physiological (somatic) functioning to the point of distress. Psychosomatic disorders may include hypertension, respiratory ailments, gastrointestinal disturbances, migraine and tension headaches, sexual dysfunctions, and dermatitis." Many other disorders can be added to this list, such as anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, etc. Ulcers can be caused by worry, colitis by resentment and heart attacks by anger. Depression, if not organic, can result from a feeling of hopelessness. Put simply, it's not what you eat that’s killing you; it is what’s eating you! Psychosomatic sickness is just an internal warning that in some way our lives are out of sync. Medical research in this area is simply concurring with what the Bible has taught for thousands of years. In the book of Proverbs we read, "A sound heart is life to the body, but envy is rottenness to the bones." (Prov.14:30). Greg Biddell explains, "The human brain has the capacity to produce between 3000 and 3500 chemicals, hormones and endorphins. Some of these produce healing for the body whereas others cause the body to deteriorate. The way you think determines what chemicals and hormones the mind produces. Love and joy build up the immune system. The moment we move into a mode of negative thinking, the immune system automatically plummets, leaving the body vulnerable to attack." The word 'hormone', comes from a Greek word meaning 'to arouse to activity'. Hormones are substances produced by parts of the body called endocrine glands. From these glands, hormones are secreted into the bloodstream and are taken to distant cells or organs. They then stimulate physiological changes within these regions. Each human emotion has the potential to produce a physical reaction - for better or for worse. For example: *In times of fear and panic the adrenalin gland releases extra adrenalin into the blood stream to give us super-human strength to cope with the emergency. Whilst adrenalin aids us in the midst of sudden danger, the continuous release of adrenalin over a sustained period of time can cause a chemical imbalance in the bloodstream resulting in weakness and sickness. *Through anger a toxin is secreted by the tongue, which when mixed with saliva and swallowed can cause illness. *Stress can cause the arteries to contract, restricting the flow of blood to the heart causing a variety of physical complications. *Then there are 'happy hormones', known as endorphins. This word is made up of two different words endo (a shortened form of 'endogenous', i.e. sourced from within) and orphin (a shortened form of 'morphine'). Endorphins, then are morphine-like substances originating from parts of the body such as the pituitry gland. These have a positive effect on the body, for instance assisting with pain reduction, and generally giving a sense of well-being. They are produced by positive emotions such as love and laughter, and also physical exercise.
HEAL THE HEART AND YOU'LL HEAL THE BODY Since many sicknesses are caused by mental processes, such as anger, anxiety, depression and guilt, isn't it strange that there is so much emphasis today on seeking healing through supplementary and dietary intake and so little on helping the sufferer to find peace within? Whilst a balanced intake of vitamins, minerals, etc. is important, eventually even these will not be able to cope with the continual release of toxins into the body. This is borne out by psychoneuroimmunology, the science which studies the interaction between behavioural and psychological factors and the immune system. Sadly, the medical world, realizing the connection between negative emotions and sick bodies tries to bring the body into an artificial state of rest through medication, e.g. anti-depressants. Health and fitness industries attempt to create soundness of health through diet and exercise. No amount of medication, supplements, diet and exercise can provide wholeness when the soul is in turmoil. Although there are natural laws of degeneration regarding the body from which none of us can escape, we all need to ask the question: "Is my current way of living speeding up the process of degeneration? Have I given negative, health-destroying emotions permanent residence in my heart?"
A BETTER WAY OF LIVING Earlier in this chapter I quoted the ageless counsel of Solomon, "Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life" Prov.4:23. We make every effort to keep our money and assets safe; we do all in our power to guard our reputations; and we do whatever we can to keep our bodies in good shape (round is a shape, isn't it!) How much more should we tend to the condition of the heart, knowing that it is the source of our lives. The verses immediately preceding this verse provide the key to how we can keep our hearts in a strong, sound and healthy state. "My son, give attention to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your eyes; keep them in the midst of your heart; for they are life to those who find them, and health to all their flesh" (Prov.4:20-22). When truth is established in the midst of our heart, our inner being will dispense health and well-being to every part of our lives. That's what the rest of this book is about. We are first going to explore what are the most powerful influences which have helped shape your heart and mine to make it the storehouse it is today. Then, we will examine how the truth can set our innermost being free from autonomous negative emotions and establish our hearts in the grace of God.
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