“Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” John 7.38
What a Scripture to hold on to! Living water would flow from our hearts? Rivers of living water?? From the heart of every person who believes in Jesus? Is that what flows out of my heart?
In an effort to better grasp this truth for myself, I looked up the Scripture Jesus was referencing and found He wasn’t quoting one specific Scripture but was summarizing what several Scriptures teach or imply about God’s internal work in a believer’s heart. The Scripture that hit close-to-home for me was from Proverbs 4:
My son, be attentive to my words,
incline your ear to my sayings.
Let them not escape from your sight;
keep them within your heart.
For they are life to those who find them,
and healing to all their flesh.
Keep your heart with all vigilance,
for from it flow the springs of life. Proverbs 4.20-23 (emphasis added by me)
Keeping my heart with all vigilance sounds like … a big job, a worthy goal. But job and goal might be the wrong words here. They are certainly often-used words in 2024 but I’m not sure they do justice to the phrase keep your heart with all vigilance. May I suggest to you that rather than a job or a goal, it is our opportunity, our responsibility, our privilege to be vigilant about our hearts. To protect and guard our hearts from what might slow or plug that flow of life-giving water.
So what am I vigilantly guarding in my heart? Am I lamenting over my own particular situation? Over worldly concerns? Am I envious for someone else’s seemingly perfect life? Am I harboring unforgiven offenses and disappointments?
Jesus is telling us that because of the work of God in every true believer what comes from our hearts is to bring blessings to others. Not judgment or dismissal or simply ignoring. Can blessings come from envy, or worldly concerns, or resentment and unforgiveness? No they cannot.
I wonder if the course correction doesn’t start with being reminded that my heart is the center of my internal life and of my orientation toward God. From my heart I do all my thinking, feeling, and choosing.
In the past few days, the Lord gave me an opportunity to practice intentionally choosing what flows from my heart (and thus, from my mouth). There was a peacefulness with this choice that, to me, was evidence of the Holy Spirit’s equipping and working on my hard-heartedness. A little crack was made in the wall I’ve built around my heart and maybe some life-giving water flowed through to others, even just a trickle. It seemed like a hopeful start. That is my prayer.
So the question I leave you with is this … What, my friend, is in your heart?
With the love of Jesus, Colleen