The Biblical heart if very different than modern American thinking. In the Bible, the heart is the core of the inner being. It includes our thinking, our emotions, our desires, our will.
Proverbs 4:23: Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life.
2 Corinthians 10:5 exhorts us to take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.
Philippians 4:8: Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things.
Miss Sense takes these commands very seriously. She is continually reining in her thoughts and emotions. When she has a thought or emotion that is not pleasing to the Lord, she puts that thought off, and instead puts on thoughts that are true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, of good repute, excellent, and praiseworthy. Or to put it another way—when the video starts playing in her mind, of hurt feelings, or worry, or discouragement, or anger, she hits the eject button. She refuses to let her mind dwell on those things. She takes those thoughts captive by examining them in light of God’s word. She guards her heart. Her emotions may be intense, but she strives to keep them under control.
Miss Sensibility is dominated by her thoughts and emotions. She lets them have free rein. She has quite a video collection, and she views them often. She plays that disc of her hurts over and over again. Every wrong done against her is reviewed, and rewound, and played in slow motion. Those anxious thoughts are fed by her imagination and allowed to build and grow. Her attitude of discouragement is examined and analyzed and cultivated, and prohibits her from carrying out the responsibilities in her life, which only makes her more discouraged. If anyone tries to correct her outlook, she moans, “You just don’t understand”. Her life is one big roller coaster, but she has no intention of getting off.
Ladies, this area of life is so important. Our hearts overflow into our words and actions, so we must take this seriously. Let’s be honest here. We as women are emotional creatures. This is something we all have to deal with.
In her book, Feminine Appeal, Carolyn Mahaney says, "We must understand that our feelings are not authoritative. Just because we feel something doesn’t make it true."
David Martyn Lloyd-Jones has said, "Most of your unhappiness in life is due to the fact that you are listening to yourself instead of talking to yourself".
We must stop listening to ourselves, and remind ourselves of the truth of God’s Word. We must be sensible.
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2 comments:
That was such a good analogy! I think the key is to reach out our hand to the needy, and hold Miss Sensibility's while we explain it all to her. After we've listened.
Miss Sensibility needs a tender touch to be able to hear what you've said.
Well said, Roberta.
I read this verse today and thought how fitting it goes with this study you have been sharing. Proverbs 12:11, "He who tills his land will have plenty of bread, but he who pursues vain things lacks sense." The side note in my Bible rendered that word "heart." As I continue to consider this issue of being sensible that you are putting before us, I am reminded that it does require such diligent effort and purposeful pursuits!
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