“The heart is more deceitful than all else
And is desperately sick;
Who can understand it?
I, the Lord, search the heart,
I test the mind,
Even to give to each man according to his ways,
According to the results of his deeds.” (Jeremiah 17:9-10)
The movie “Fireproof” is the story of a captain firefighter (Caleb) whose marriage is on the rocks. One of Caleb’s crew (Michael) is a man of strong faith. In one scene, Michael is talking with another fireman who is having a problem with a decision. He is telling Michael that he is going to “follow his heart” about this decision. This sounds like a good strategy and is often used in our society as a sensible principle to follow. But Michael can see that what his friend is getting ready to do, as he follows his heart, is not a good choice at all. So, Michael tells him, “Don’t follow your heart, lead your heart.”
Each of us has a body and a soul (personality). Within our soul are two factors at work, our mind and our emotions (we might also say heart or passion). These two factors are the influences on a third aspect within us, which is our will (or decision-maker). Some of us operate primarily by our mind, others primarily by emotions, although none of us is 100% one or the other, but some combination. Those whose mind dominates are likely to do the sensible or logical thing, while those driven mostly by emotion decide based on what feels good or is pleasing. Sometimes our mind and emotions agree, other times they are at odds.
Our hearts have been helpful all along in life as we make decisions, but sometimes the heart gets set on something that is not good for us or others. It is the same with the mind. Although our thinking is usually helpful, it is not perfect, and often misguided. As we grow up, our hearts and minds are hopefully learning how to guide us into good decisions. But our hearts and minds can fail us.
Thus, the prophet Jeremiah is right on target when he says that our hearts are in this sense deceitful and sick, meaning susceptible to error, prone to long for the wrong thing. And as he also says, our mind must be tested as well, because it cannot always be trusted to lead us to good “results of our deeds.”
But wait … there is a fourth aspect of our soul, which is spirit. Our spirit is in a sense dead or dormant when we are born. It is that empty space within us that longs to know God and to be filled by him. Our spirit comes alive by a process or event which Jesus describes as being “born again.” In John 3:5-7, a Pharisee named Nicodemus has come to discuss with Jesus the miracles he is performing. Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’”
In other words, when we ask Jesus to come and live in us, the Holy Spirit of Jesus enters our spirit, making us spiritually alive and “born again.” When we receive and are “indwelt” by the Spirit of God, we receive the perfect influence, power, and guide. We now have within us a better guide to life than depending on our mind and emotions to make our decisions. The Holy Spirit of God is perfectly reliable, far more than our mind and our heart.
Now a new process begins. As we operate under the influence of the Spirit of God to make decisions, a reversal of influence takes place. Instead of our faulty mind and selfish heart influencing our decisions (rather poorly sometimes), the choices we make under the guidance of the Spirit begin to influence and reshape our hearts and minds!
That is why Paul says in Romans 12:2 that we are to “be transformed by the renewing of your minds.” And Ezekiel 36:26 says, “I will remove the heart of stone … and give you a heart of flesh.”
Notice that when Paul says to “be transformed,” there is an understanding that the Spirit can and will do this, but also a clear implication that this takes intention and cooperation on our part. The Spirit does not forcefully continue to renew our minds. We must desire it, giving permission and opportunity for this amazing transformation to take place. The challenge then is to keep our hearts and minds out of first place and let the Spirit take the lead.
Thus, it is not true that my mind and emotions don’t change, although some people contend it is true. They say, “I can’t change the way I am. That’s just me.” No, there is a higher me, to which I am being transformed by the influence of the Holy Spirit. Rather than our mind and emotions directly influencing our will, we live and walk by the Spirit in our decision-making. And as we allow the Spirit to be the greatest influence, our minds will be renewed, and our hearts softened.
Blessings,
Chaplain Mark