Take it to Heart

Malachi 2:1-9

It’s so easy to fall into a cycle of “going through the motions” with God. You appear to be doing all the right things – reading your Bible, going to church, praying (sometimes), and serving in one way or another, but you don’t see any real fruit growing in your life from these things.

You hear about other people’s big encounters with God, and you wonder when it’s going to be your turn. But the thing is – God isn’t just looking for people who can follow spiritual rituals, He desires deep and heartfelt followers.

1 Samuel 16:7 says, “For the Lord does not see as man sees: for man looks on outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

Sometimes, we can appear to be close to God on the outside but on the inside, our hearts are miles away. So, where is your heart?

God has a unique calling and plan for us all. He has designed us in a beautiful way, allowing each of us to bring different gifts, talents, and responsibilities to the table. However, if our use of these gifts is not coming from a place of love, we are doing a disservice to ourselves and those around us.

True obedience to God does not come from following rules but rather is a result of loving God so much that there is a deep desire in our heart to honor him with our lives. It’s truly all about the posture of our heart. Proverbs 4:23 says, “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.”

Everything flows from the heart! If our heart is not in the right place, we are not going to feel equipped to live up to what God is calling us to do. So how do we get our hearts right?

There is a quote I love that speaks on this. It says,

“To leak Jesus, we must be soaked in Him first. We cannot bypass the importance of time alone with Him. Intimacy with Him is the drenching and filling so that we can overflow. Passion is an outward expression of inward intimacy.”

Refining our hearts into a place where the fruits of the spirit flow is a process. It takes effort and real intimacy with God. Thankfully, God will help us get there, but we have to do some work too.

So instead of just reading our Bibles, let’s ask God to speak to our hearts through His word.

Instead of just showing up to church, let’s walk in the building with a heart wide open, expecting God to move.

Instead of just serving, let your service be an overflow of love.

Instead of just singing worship songs, ask God to draw your heart closer to Him through your praise.

God is inviting us to go deeper – not just to do the things of God, but to know the heart of God. Let’s stop performing and start building real intimacy with Him. When our hearts are aligned with His, everything else will flow from that place. Don’t get stuck in the motions, but really take it to heart – that’s where the real change begins.

Carmen K