Matthew 22:37- 37 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.
Jesus speaks the verse above in response to being asked which is the great commandment of the Law. We know that God sees us as a whole person and that we cannot separate your mind, heart, and soul. What your heart longs for must be God above all else. What your mind ponders, must be holy and righteous and excellent and worthy of praise. And what your soul needs more than anything is Jesus Christ Himself.
Yet God separates them for us in the Bible and we often separate them ourselves. Either knowingly or unknowingly, we listen to, speak to, and feed one over the other. In our passage from Philippians 4:6-7 this week, Paul says that the peace of God will guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. In the following verse, verse 8, Paul then tells the Philippians to focus their minds on heavenly things. Why the focus on both the heart and the mind?
It’s been said that the greatest distance in the world is the give or take 18 inches between our hearts and our heads. Our hearts and our minds are often at odds with each other. We can have great affections for God but not be worshiping the God of the Bible. Likewise, we can know deep theological truth about God yet our heart for God be far from Him. How do we resolve this heart and mind problem? Jesus Christ.
Jesus came in grace and truth and seeks worshipers who worship in both Spirit and truth. As we abide in Him, as we present our bodies (heart, mind, and soul) to Him daily, He grows us in our love of God, our understanding of God, and our holiness. Apart from Him we can do nothing. As you assess your life, do you love God with all of your heart, soul, and mind? Ask Him to show you where you do not and press into Jesus to love God in a holistic (whole body) way.