Christian Writers Circle

Freedom of the Heart
by Judy Hitson

1 Samuel 16:7 ERV But the LORD said to Samuel, “Eliab is tall and handsome, but don’t judge by things like that. God doesn’t look at what people see. People judge by what is on the outside, but the LORD looks at the heart. Eliab is not the right man.”

How can our hearts be free?

We humans look on the outside as we read in our key verse today but the Lord looks on the heart of people.

There are two profound insights I discovered in my walk with the Lord that you may be familiar with. These verses deserve our attention as we consider freedom of our hearts.

The first Scripture passage I’m referring to is Jer. 17:9-10 NKJV
 “The heart is deceitful above all things,
And desperately wicked;
 Who can know it?
 I, the LORD, search the heart,
 I test the mind,
 Even to give every man according to his ways,
According to the fruit of his doings.

The second Scripture passage is Ezekiel 36:26-28 NLT
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.
“And you will live in Israel, the land I gave your ancestors long ago. You will be my people, and I will be your God.

The Lord began to set my heart free when He revealed the contrast of my old heart and new heart long after I was born again. Learning to walk in the Spirit and to walk in His love takes time. For many years I  considered my heart as described in Jer. 17:9. Recalling a time I coordinated a small group of women,  I shared this verse as the state of our hearts. One of the women said, “But Judy, you have a new heart now. She shared Ezek. 36:26 and my heart about leaped out of my chest. This fresh revelation and understanding set me free from the bondage of believing I still walked with a deceitful, wicked heart. Praise God for humbling me to learn and grow in the Spirit. When we are with Him, we will be like Him but until then we continue to mature in Christ. 

Prayer: Father in heaven, help us surrender all to You for Christ’s sake by Your Spirit and mature in the freedom of our hearts. Amen.