My Reflections

What Is In My Heart?

I have read Genesis 1-4 over the last couple days from a study Bible given to me by my pastor. It is The Reformation Study Bible, King James Version. This Bible is set up where the top part of the page is scripture and the bottom part of the page is concordance. This is very helpful. I like it a lot.

I have written a little Bible study about what is in the heart. It is in my portfolio. It seems like this has been a reoccurring theme to me over that last few months. It even came up as I was reading the first 4 chapters of Genesis and the notes associated with them.

So here I go once again asking myself, “What is in my heart?” What is in my heart when I sin, when I do something good, when I interact with others, and when I go about my daily life and tasks and conversations?

Did you know that a good deed can be considered sin? Yeah, if this good deed is performed outside the will of God or for the wrong motives, it is a sin. Wow! That’s something to think about. For example: Why do you give money to the church? Are you expecting a blessing in return? Are you trying to impress others because you give money every week? Are you giving without expecting anything in return? Are you giving because you love God and your church? Do you even care if anyone else knows about it or not? Thinking about those things, do you see how even your giving money to the church can become sin? If you give money to the church to bring profit or recognition to yourself, it can turn into a sin for you. There are other ways good deeds can become sin, but I am just throwing this out there for an example of what I am talking about.

I can see this theme throughout the Bible as I read it. So remember whatever you do to check to see what is in your heart?

One of my personal struggles is with my weight. I am an emotional eater. Food is such a big part of our society. I have just recently realized some things about my own relationship with food. I have lived with some false beliefs regarding it.

The Bible says we should do all things to the glory of God. (Colossians 3:23; 1 Corinthians 10:31) Am I eating to God’s glory? That is a good question. How would Jesus shop for groceries? How can I glorify God in what I buy and what I eat?

While pondering these questions and then some, it occurred to me that I have been mistaken. My parents taught me that you eat whatever is provided without question. If God provides you with junk (food), you eat it. Hmm! Does God provide “junk”, the same God who came to provide life more abundantly? Does a God who wants you to take care of the temple of the Holy Spirit not provide the “healthy and good” food to honor that command? We may have limited money to buy groceries with, but we choose to buy the junk because it costs less money then the healthy food. So I am working on my attitude and choices when going grocery shopping. I also need to work on continuing to make healthy choices when at home preparing meals, but it honestly starts at the grocery store.

What is in my heart when I am walking down the aisles deciding what to buy? What is in my heart when I am pulling things out of the cabinet and fridge to eat? What is in my heart when I get that second serving of spaghetti I should not have and eat it? What is in my heart when I am struggling to do my exercise? These are questions I need to answer for myself.

What questions do you need to ask yourself? What is in your heart?