Spirituality - Repairing A Damaged Heart

 

Repairing a Damaged Heart Through Spiritual Surgery

Part 1

In the Olivet Wednesday bible study sessions, Pastor Moore and Deacon Hedgepath have on occasion described the sinful actions of people as being a “heart” issue.  In a recent bible study session related to spiritual gifts, Pastor Moore referenced Jeremiah 17:9 “The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is?” 

Initially, I found it depressing to hear that our heart is inclined towards sin from the moment we are born.  My thought was, “We don’t stand a chance. We start off from a disadvantage!”  Then the truth came.  God has provided us with the tools to help us repair our damaged hearts.  Just as human surgeons perform surgery on the bodily heart to heal it, God has provided us with spiritual tools and guidelines. The tools are methods to repair our damaged heart. The guidelines define what actions and lifestyle can repair our damaged hearts through spiritual surgery.

We have all inherited the damaged heart condition.  It’s a human family trait passed on from Adam and Eve.  What are the symptoms of having a damaged heart?  Sin.  Underneath the broad category of “Sin” are a number of specific actions that confirm the symptoms and diagnosis of a damaged heart.  Sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, envy, selfish ambition, wild parties, murder, and on and on.

Genesis 6:5   The Lord observed the extent of human wickedness on the earth, and he saw that everything they thought or imagined was consistently and totally evil.

It has been shown that you can live your entire human existence with a damaged heart.  We have even created systems and activities that support sin and a damaged heart!  If we just accept the sinful character of our damaged heart, we relinquish the opportunity to have eternal life after our human death.  We have rationalized that some actions performed with a damaged heart are enjoyable, fulfilling, and what we are here on Earth to experience.  We describe those actions as those of a normal human and “nothing to feel bad about”.  “We’re only human” we say, as if that statement justifies our damaged heart actions. 

Hebrews 3:12   Be careful then dear brothers and sisters.  Make sure that your own hearts are not evil and unbelieving turning you away from the living God.

Once we acknowledge our damaged heart symptoms, now comes the decision to seek healing through spiritual surgery.

Deuteronomy 10:16-19   Therefore change your hearts and stop being stubborn.

  

Repairing a Damaged Heart Through Spiritual Surgery

Part 2

Psalm 51: 10   Create in me a clean heart O God.  Renew a loyal spirit within me.

This plea acknowledges the damaged condition of your heart and your request to God to help you heal. Unlike human surgery, you are an active participant in your spiritual surgery.   Giving your life to Christ is a first step as you enter the spiritual operating room.  Attending church regularly, bible study, Sunday school, establishing a regimen of reading and applying the Word, and replacing worldly adventures with spiritual entertainment ventures, are some of the surgical tools and techniques we are given to assist with our spiritual surgery. 

Your Pastor and fellow members of your church all have a surgical role in your spiritual surgery, providing the spiritual guidance and support you need to spiritually heal your damaged heart.  You will find that as in human bodily surgery, you may need to return to the spiritual surgery room for multiple surgeries to achieve long term healing of your heart.  So, don’t feel overly frustrated if you find yourself on occasion pulling up to the spiritual surgery outpatient clinic.  Think of those occasions as a tune up for your new heart.

Ezekiel 36:26-27   And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you.  I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart.  And I will put my spirit in you so that you will follow my decrees and be careful to obey my regulations. 

During your rehabilitation period from spiritual surgery, you will need to keep your spiritual diet free of old habits and activities.  Those activities were for feeding a damaged heart, not the new heart God has given you.  Your rehabilitation and spiritual therapy during recovery from a damaged heart will be continuous.  Yes, you may have a relapse in keeping old habits out of your new spiritual diet.  If you do, get right back into your rehabilitative program.

2 Corinthians 1:22   He has commissioned us as his own by placing the Holy Spirit in our hearts as the first installment that guarantees everything, he has promised us.

Luke 1:17(2)   He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and he will cause those who are rebellious to accept the wisdom of the godly.

Matthew 12: 35   A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart.

1 Samuel 10:9   As Saul turned and started to leave, God gave him a new heart…