We're going through the book of Matthew at church right now and something struck me on Sunday. Now, I'm sure most of you are going to think this is a no-brainer, but I'm not always master of the obvious. So, I'm going to share my little light bulb moment with you. First, the verse.
Matthew 6:21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
I've always thought of this verse as saying that I can tell where my heart is by where my treasure is, by the things I pour myself into, the way I invest my time, money, and energy. So, when I've found myself with my priorities out of whack, I've asked the Lord to change my heart.
Now, I think it's totally appropriate to ask God to work on our hearts. However, and here's my light bulb moment, sometimes I just need to move my treasure. What I wrote in my notes on Sunday was "Our heart follows our treasure. The treasure, the place we invest ourselves, is the leader and the heart follows". I can't sit around waiting for my heart to change. Instead, I need to choose to invest wisely, knowing that my heart will eventually change.
Perhaps I already knew this without realizing I knew it. Maybe that's why I try to force myself to smile on days where the kiddos are driving me batty. It's hard to yell at someone with a grin on your face. Maybe that's why I had to take a whole month off of the forums. Asking God to change my heart toward my family while I spent a big part of the day chatting online was a little hypocritical.
Even if I unknowingly grasped this concept on some level, I never had looked at Matthew 6:21 in this way. So, what's the practical application? When I can see that my heart is not right in some area (marriage, parenting, friendships, contentment, etc), I will choose to put my treasure in that very area. I won't want to do it. I won't feel like doing it. But I will choose to do it. And I'll blow it sometimes. In fact, I'll probably blow it often. But I will choose to keep making the effort.
I will not wait for my heart to give me the desire to put my treasure in the right place. I will choose to put my treasure where my heart should be.
4 comments:
great post Bethany! I was a bit convicted about this same thing, especially in regards to work
Good point(s). A great verse to accompany this concept is in Psalm 37:4 where it says "Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart." I think this gets misinterpreted often. I think it means the Lord will actually put desires in your heart that are of Him, not take whatever desires are in your heart and grant them to instantly!
I am going to go invest some treasure in a nap, so I won't be short and cranky with my family this evening.
Crap, I said I wasn't going to comment on your blog anymore. Stop sucking me in!!
Amen sista! It is so good to be refreshed and reminded of things we already "know". I know that is why we are all together as family, to encourage each other and to build each other up. Thanks for the insights, and opening up your heart!
where you treasure is, there your heart will be also....that makes me think of so many things....and convicts me to really think of the things I spend my time doing and pouring myself in to...thank you for sharing
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