The basic requirements for knowing the will of God are: (1) presenting ourselves as a sacrifice, and (2) denying our self. The next step is to deal with the heart. Even though this step is not as basic as the first two requirements, it is still very important in the matter of knowing God’s will.
As previously mentioned, the heart, spirit, and mind are organs for us to know God’s will. The condition of the heart, whether aimed in the right direction or occupied by various involvements, vitally determines our knowing of God’s will.
The following four quotations from the Scriptures clearly show the relationship between the heart and the knowing of God’s will, and especially the importance of dealing with our hearts.
1)Second Corinthians 3:16, “Whensoever it (the heart) shall turn to the Lord, the veil is taken away.” If our heart fails to turn toward the Lord, it becomes a veil to cover us and keep us from seeing the light; hence, we have no way to know God’s will. When our heart is not turned toward God, we cannot see. But when we turn our heart toward God, we see. Thus, it is imperative that our heart be absolutely turned toward God.
2)Second Corinthians 11:3, “I fear, lest by any means... your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity and purity that is toward Christ.” A lack of simplicity and purity means that we are corrupted and have another goal besides God. God alone should be our goal. Once we pay more attention to other people, matters, and activities, immediately our heart becomes corrupted and thus loses its simplicity and purity. Consequently, we cannot understand God’s will. Again, we are told that our heart must be absolutely turned toward God.
3)Matthew 6:21-23, “Where thy treasure is, there will thy heart be also. The lamp of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness.” These verses mention first the matter of our heart going after the treasure; then the light and darkness involving the eye follow. If our heart is set on God, our vision is clear; if our heart is set on other matters, our eye is evil and fails to see God’s will. Here, again, is an exhortation to have our heart absolutely turned toward God.
4)Matthew 5:8, “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.” The pure in heart are those who have no mixture in the heart. Their heart is single and pure, desiring nothing else but God. Many people are seeking and desiring something other than God Himself. Therefore, lacking a pure heart, they can neither see God nor understand His will. By this we see that our heart must be definitely turned toward God and desire nothing but God.
These four passages show that the relationship between the heart and knowing God’s will is determined by the condition of the heart-whether it is absolutely turned toward God. Just as the compass, regardless of the changes in the surroundings, always points to the north, so also our heart should always turn toward God and take God as our goal. Thus, we can understand His will. We regret, however, that among God’s children there are very few whose hearts are absolutely turned toward Him. The hearts of the majority are turned either to the left or to the right; they are never absolutely turned toward God in simplicity. These people not only fail to see God, but their consecration and denial of self are a problem. Since their heart is not right before God, their consecration is full of reservations, and their self stubbornly retains its own ideas and opinions. Therefore, it is impossible for them to understand God’s will.
The dealing with the heart, although not as basic as consecration and the denial of self, is, however, very fine and deep. We ought to bring all the details and hidden areas of our heart into the light of God, letting the Holy Spirit examine and correct us until our heart is completely toward God, and desires and chooses only God.
Home | First | Prev | Next