Remaining pure in the midst of sin and depravity.

Our heart is in a constant battle. Even if we can sometimes find rest from the voice of the culture that constantly screams its sinful depravity in our ear, we would be foolish to think that the only battle against our heart is external. There is a battle waging against our heart and that battle is more internal in nature than it is external. One of the most important warnings in the Book of Proverbs is the one found in Proverbs 4:23, which says, “Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.” The heart is the most important of all. It is the core of our very being, the very essence of our character and everything we do flows from it. Satan knows this very well and does everything in his power to keep us from having a pure heart but he is not the only enemy. The heart itself is deceiving because its very fiber is selfish and fallen. Yet, we are not without hope! As soon as Christ ascended to heaven, He sent His Spirit on earth so that we would never fight alone. The Holy Spirit is God’s divine power given to us in order to enable us to live in purity of heart. It is not just something that happens once but it is something that should be cultivated daily by living a life centered on the Bible and prayer. God has given us everything that we need in order to live a godly life but we need to desire purity by investing ourselves wholeheartedly into the pursuit of holiness. We need to keep a close watch over our hearts because even though the soil of the heart can often be unwilling to receive the words of Scripture, it is readily available to receive impure seeds, which forcefully plant themselves deeply and firmly and need to be uprooted as soon as the sinful thought enters the gate of the mind but we do not carry this battle on our own! The Holy Spirit gives us discernment in order to be aware of even the smallest hint of darkness and empowers us to overcome even the greatest evil with good. No, it is not impossible to have a pure heart in the midst of the sinful world we live in but we need to recognize sin for that it is and not what the culture paints it to be. It is the seed of death that darkens and corrupts the heart, thus robbing us of intimacy with God but the blood of Christ cleanses us from all sin if we confess our sins and yield to even the gentlest whispers of His Spirit. Don’t let sin block the beauty of God’s light and truth from your life. Guard your heart!