During the past two weeks I read passages from the book of Psalms. The book is rich with passages about God, his majesty, power, glory, and awesomeness. Furthermore, the book of Psalms also addresses our humanity. In it the various authors of the Psalter often times draw the reader toward personal reflection.

One of the particular features of the Psalms is expressive prayer. My favorite ones include:

Psalm 9: 1 – “I will give thanks to you, Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds.”

Psalm 19: 14 – “May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.”

Psalm 119: 10–11 – “I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.”

Psalm 139: 23–24 – “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”

Each of these Psalms emphasize one thing, the heart. Each of them are also written in first person. Note the emphasis on the word “my.” Every once in a while we need a spiritual heart check. But, when was the last time you stop to reflect on the condition of your heart? Ask yourself, “How’s my heart at the moment?”

Heart Reflections

PSALM 9 – First, our heart is meant to be a place where our praiseworthy affections toward God take place. In Psalm 9, David expressed the desire to worship God with “all” his heart. But is that even possible? Well, Jesus indicated that worshiping God with all our heart, not just a portion of it, is the greatest commandment. When challenged by the leaders of his day, he said, “Jesus replied: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.”

PSALM 19 – Second, our heart is prone toward sin. I’m reminded of the line from the famous hymn Come Thou Fountain, “Prone to wander, Lord I feel it, prone to leave the God I love. Here’s my heart Lord take and seal it, seal it for thy courts above.” David longed for his heart to please God. Prior to writing Psalm 19:14, David exclaims, “Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me!” As God told Cain, “sin is crouching near your doorway, turning toward you!” We must resist sin, our be doomed to spiritual “heart failure.”

PSALM 119 – Third, our heart can be safeguarded from sin. The greatest cause of spiritual heart congestion is unguarded sin. However, the remedy is provided. God’s Word is the spiritual medicine prescribed for those at risk of spiritual congestive heart failure. Therefore, a healthy dose of God’s Word daily can prevent the decline of our spiritual health.

PSALM 139 – Fourth, our heart is connected to our thought life. Note that in Psalm 139 David asks God to “search” his heart. The word can be translated as “investigate” or “examine.” Such examination can only be done by a qualified doctor. God is the only one who contains the qualifications to examine our thought life, identity our “offensive ways” (or sin), and prescribe the right medicine to cure our heart problem. However, if you do not safeguard your thought life, your heart will suffer.

A Healthy Heart

The only way to have our spiritual heart healthy is to rely on the grace and power of Jesus Christ. Our blood is healthy through the blood of Jesus. That’s why the author of Hebrews wrote, “Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his fleshand since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.”

Here’s a few things you can do to keep your spiritual heart in check:

1. Ask diagnostic questions: Is my worship life sweet or is it a burden? Do I feel spiritually drained or am I finding contentment in Christ? Am I constantly anxious, or am I trusting in God and his perfect will? Have I spent time in meditation before God lately? Am I practicing spiritual contemplation by filling my mind with the Word of God?
2. Make a habit to fill your heart with God’s Word. Daily reading of God’s Word yields blessings (Psalm 1:1–3; 119:1–2). I have made is a habit to also listen to God’s Word every day. With all the resources available to us, you can listen to the Bible through narration via a Bible App, or listen to worship songs that quote Scripture ( I recommend The Corner Room. Here’s a sample: https://youtu.be/RKPAKRWg9GA), or you can follow a Bible reading plan.
3. Make prayer constant habit. Pray first thing in the morning. Pray on the way to work, at work, and one the way back from work. Find the habit of constantly communing with God throughout the day (1 Thessalonians 5:17). Further, find someone to hold you accountable to prayer. You can try creating a prayer list as well.
4. Watch what you watch. Jesus said, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” If you are spending too much time online, on Netflix, playing video games, or watching TV, consider fasting from these things to regulate your spiritual blood pressure.
5. Learn contemplation. In a busy and hurried culture, we must find set our minds on things above, not things earthly things (Colossians 3:2). Get away, at whatever cost. Find a resting place. Seek a place of quietness and solitude to contemplate on God and his Word.

If your heart is spiritually unwell, I pray David’s cry be yours and mine!

“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me” Psalm 51:10

Written by Daniel Messina

Read one of my other articles here: https://thepreachersdevoblog.com/laugh-a-little-actually-laugh-more/