“My son, give attention to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your sight; keep them in the midst of your heart. For they are life to those who find them and health to all their body. Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life.” (Pro 4:20-23)
Journal,
The Hebrew word for ‘springs’ is the word ‘tosaah.’ Tosaah is a geographical term that speaks both a boundary and of a source. It’s reflective meaning is, ‘goings forth’.
The point is that what we have in our hearts does have to do with the boundaries and the outgoing of our own life.
It can be said that we give shape to our life by what is in our heart.
Thus we have the admonishment to…
Watch With all Diligence
Can many of our trials in life be a result of our own heart attitude? Can there even be a sickness or other ailment in our life as a result of harboring unforgiveness, resentments, bitterness, or ill will towards others?
Yes, the Bible does teach that our total well-being can very well show our inward state of being. Both our blessings and our disappointments in life can be a direct result of what is 
happening in our heart.
Just as a tree grows from the inside out even so with us. If the tree is not healthy on the inside it will reflect on the whole of the tree.
This is why the sage said,
“Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life.”
David draws attention to how life reflects on the man who refuses to bless.
Listen carefully:
“He also loved cursing, so it came to him; and he did not delight in blessing, so it was far from him. But he clothed himself with cursing as with his garment, and it entered into his body like water and like oil into his bones. Let it be to him as a garment with which he covers himself, and for a belt with which he constantly girds himself.” (Psa 109:17-19)
The New Testament also addresses the issue of a bitter spirit.
“See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many be defiled.”(Heb 12:15)
The heart issues in our life well show forth in our speaking. According to Scripture, our heart and our tongue have a direct connection.
Let’s see how the Bible allows us to understand how …
Our Tongue Reflects Our Heart
In Hebrews we are told that bitterness is a defiler. It not only defiles our own personal life, but it can defile those around us. And some of our bitterness can come from a failure in our own past. We need to change how we look at our past.
James draws attention to not being able to share the gospel properly because of a heart that is not where it needs to be with the Lord.
“With it [our tongue] we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God; from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be this way. Does a fountain send out from the same opening both fresh and bitter water?” (Jas 3:9-11 NASB)
Now listen very carefully to the instructions given by the apostle Peter –
“To sum up, all of you be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kindhearted, and humble in spirit; not returning evil for evil or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead; for you were called for the very purpose that you might inherit a blessing.
“For, ‘The one who desires life, to love and see good days, must keep his tongue from evil, and his lips from speaking deceit.
“’He must turn away from evil and do good; he must seek peace and pursue it.
“’For the eyes of the Lord are towards the righteous, and His ears attend to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.’” (1Pe 3:8-12)
Pursuing Righteousness and Peace
There is no question that bitterness can create an excessive burden in a believer’s life. It carries such a corrupting ability that if often calls for a discipline of the Lord.
The writer of Hebrews call attention to the issue of Godly discipline:
“All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness. …
“Therefore, strengthen the hands that are weak and the knees that are feeble, and make straight paths for your feet, so that the limb which is lame may not be put out of joint, but rather be healed.
“Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord.” (Heb 12:11-14)
This is metaphoric language that calls attention to some of the burdens than can weigh a believer down as a result of unforgiveness and resentments. Is it not possible that some of our physical ailments are a result of the bitterness we carry?
Is it also possible that some of our health issues can be the result of a corrective measure from the Lord?
Perhaps this is also where some of our miracle healings come from. Forgiveness can be the gate of healing.
These are things to consider.
A Word from the Apostles
Let’s see how both Paul and Peter speak to this.
[Paul] “For this reason many among you are weak and sick, and a number sleep. But if we judged ourselves rightly, we would not be judged.”
— The background for this is the Lord’s table, but its directive is to those who were resentful of others. The sicknesses in this case are punitive or corrective judgments from the Lord. — 1Co11:22-34.
[Peter] “Therefore, putting aside all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander, like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation.” (1Pe2:1,2)
— Where Peter speaks of the ‘pure milk’ of the word, he is speaking of milk that has not been adulterated by bitterness and other such things.
Consider this lesson in life.
A Cow in the Bitter Weeds
As a country boy I can give an example of what pure milk is not. In the south we have what is called bitter weeds. A cow will sometimes make these weeds part of her diet.
The milk looks so refreshing. But the moment you begin to drink, instantly you spew it out. Why? The milk is full of bitterness. And yet in appearance the milk itself looked perfectly good.
Can you draw a lesson with this story? I hope so.
This brings up a primary issue with regard to bitterness.
It is crucial for believers to …
Make Peace with the Past
Very often bitterness in our life is a result of not having forgiven someone. It is not a matter of whether the person deserves forgiveness, or even if they have asked for forgiveness. It is a matter of keeping one’s own spiritual life pure.
We have a perfect example to follow from the cross.
“When they came to the place called The Skull, there they crucified Him and the criminals, one on the right and the other on the left.
“But Jesus was saying, ‘Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.’ And they cast lots, dividing up His garments among themselves.” (Luk 23:33-34)
We also hear this with the first Christian martyr.
“They went on stoning Stephen as he called on the Lord and said, ‘Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!’
“Then falling on his knees, he cried out with a loud voice, ‘Lord, do not hold this sin against them!’ Having said this, he fell asleep.” (Act 7:59-60)
The Message of the Cross is Forgiveness
When Jesus said, “Father, forgive them,” was this not the message of the cross?
Are we not forgiven by a life exchange with Jesus? Jesus gave His life up for us.
Are we not to learn to live in this flow of forgiveness? Are we not to forgive?
We are also under commandment to walk in love the way Jesus walked. The Lord pointed out that a powerful faith walk revolves around forgiveness.
He said,
“Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father who is in heaven will also forgive you your transgressions.” (Mark 11:25)
And so it may well be that the most crucial matter in a believer’s life is in coming to grips with the past.
Until we learn to make peace with the past, we will suffer in the now. Are you free from the past? Is there something you need to let go?
The place to begin is by…
Identifying With Jesus
What does identifying with Jesus mean? John said,
“You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.” (1Jn 4:4)
How did Jesus conduct Himself in the gospels? He freely loved and He freely forgave. What should we do? Freely love and freely forgive.
Jesus forgave all our sins, past, present, and future. How can we do otherwise?
Forgiveness is a power key of the faith walk. If we learn to forgive quickly, it gives us the power to jerk the rug out from under the enemy. He will have nothing to work with.
Paul tells us how this works. Listen and learn:
“I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.” (Gal 2:20 NASB)
Did you catch it? Good.
Jesus provides the power for the child of God to walk a life of victory in Him.
Let Jesus be the reflection of your heart.
Here is your song of meditation. Listen – The Lord wants to speak to your heart.
In Christ always,
Buddy
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