HIM or Me?

HIM or Me?

People almost always have thoughts in their heads. For earthly life, God has given humans reason so that we can handle our practical tasks. However, Jesus is interested in the thoughts of our heart, which is why He asked: “What are you thinking in your hearts?” Luke 5:22. [Norw.]

When it comes to what we think in our hearts, there are really only two ways of thinking: thoughts that are centered on me and my honor, or thoughts that are centered on God and His honor. Either I, with my own selfishness, am the center of the thoughts of my heart, or God is. Either I seek my own honor, or I seek God’s honor.

You can have so many thoughts about situations, about people, brothers, and sisters. Great imaginations and speculations can arise that you yourself have built. You can lose yourself in them. Building such imaginations takes energy; things become complicated and you can easily lose your zest for life. And perhaps the truth is quite different from the building you have constructed in your mind.

What is the reason for this? The reason does not lie in the circumstances, nor does it lie with my fellow man. The reason is that the thoughts of my heart are centered on myself and my own honor.

This is because the word of God has not gained access to the thoughts of my heart, as it says in Heb. 4:12: “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”

Simple faith can almost be buried under the weight of your own imaginations. Therefore, Jesus asked another question: “How can you believe, who receive honor from one another, and do not seek the honor that comes from the only God?” John 5:44. Once again it has to do with the thoughts of my heart: either I seek the honor of people, or I seek the honor of the only God. If I only seek God’s honor, I can keep this simple faith in the various situations of life.

It is true that we sometimes experience things in life that are difficult to understand. Why is he doing this? Why did she say that? Our human yardstick, our reason, reaches its limits. But there is a heavenly solution here for the thoughts of our hearts, and that is found in the peace of God: “And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

May we be able to answer the question, “What are you thinking in your heart?” with a testimony based on Phil. 4:8: “I am thinking about whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, and everything in which there is any virtue and anything praiseworthy.” If we can truly answer in this way, our thoughts will not be centered on our own “I.” Then we are in the love of Christ, which does not seek its own, but has God’s honor before the eyes of its heart.