A mystery of the heart: are you carrying someone in your heart?
Even as it is meet for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart; inasmuch as both in my bonds, and in the defence and confirmation of the gospel, ye all are partakers of my grace (Philippians 1:7, KJV)
We continue in the path of allowing God to fill every part of our being completely and to live in His presence and power here and now! I have already introduced the concept of fellowshipping with the Holy Spirit in prior devotionals and live Bible studies as well as Biblical psychology. Let me continue with another mystery of the human heart.
Please reread Phil. 1:7 above. Paul tells the Philippians that he had them in his heart. If you quickly brush this off as figurative language, you will miss a mystery hidden in this verse that transcends our human relationships into the realm of how God fills us. What on earth did he mean by the words “I have you in my heart?”. Have you ever said before that you have someone in your heart? What does this mean? Do we physically have that person sitting inside of our hearts? It is obvious this is not the case.
Remember, this is not in the realm of the physical but psychological and spiritual. Paul was thinking about them. He had emotions of affection and love for these Christians as a father in the faith. He had a desire to meet with them. These inner psychological operations are what Paul referred to as “I have you in my heart”. So someone can stay in your heart! They stay inside through thoughts, emotions, desires which are connected with them! This is wonderful when positive but terrible when negative. Do you know that some people are carrying others in their hearts, in thoughts of resentment, bitterness, anger, etc? When God looks at their hearts, He sees people inside of them. Some people carry one person, and some, as you can imagine as many as 10 or even 20! Your heart has the capacity to carry people! Be careful those you are keeping in your heart!
Let me go further and get to the real mystery of this truth. Besides the fact that another human being can be given a place in your heart, this truth shines when we bring it into God’s realm. I shared with you a few days ago about “Christ dwelling in your heart” from Eph. 3. How does Christ dwell in your heart? He dwells in the same way as you can carry someone above. He dwells in your heart( the soul part) through your thoughts, emotions, desires, etc. When your thoughts are fixed on God,for example, you are inviting Him to have a place in your soul! If your heart and mind are stayed on the Lord( Isa. 26:3), His presence will fill your life practically! This is the place of 24/7 fellowship I have been sharing. The is the place where Christ fills every part of your being and takes over your heart completely. This is the place where we yield our entire heart to the Lord and allow Him to make us a visible manifestation of His invisible nature!
Carry God in your heart! Yes, also carry other human beings in love, care, compassion etc. Do not carry people in bitterness, hate, anger, resentment, anxiety etc. If someone forces to occupy a room in your heart by doing things that make you do nothing other than think about what they have done for you, they are simply asking you the privilege of having a room in your heart. Do not sell a room in your heart so cheap to them. Preserve it for God!!
MEDITATE
Have you carried someone else before in your heart? Are you currently carrying someone in your heart right now?
APPLY THE WORD
God wants to dwell in your heart! If you rented out the rooms of your heart to people who have offended you and are sitting in your heart and filling your life with resentment and anger, please give them an immediate eviction notice in love and remove them from your heart! Now tell Jesus your heart belongs to Him, and you want Him to dwell there 24/7 while you enjoy the sweet presence of God at all times!!
PRAY
Pay prayed in Eph. 3:16- that Christ will dwell in the hearts of the Ephesians. Pray that the Lord will dwell in your hearts, knowing from above what that means.
Recommended
- He Hath Borne Our Griefs and Carried Our Sorrows
- Our Sin Bearer
- Your Heart is a Large Room: What is inside that Room?
- What is a Devotional?
- View All Deshen Daily Devotionals
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