03-An Undivided Heart

As much as I hate to use the word, The What’s Next Project is intended to be a holistic effort, meaning all the parts are interconnected

Your heart is a fascinating testimony to God’s perfect creation. It beats 115,000 times a day moving over 2000 gallons of blood. While it is just a muscle, it is directly affected by our emotional condition. The bible tells us that, “A merry heart does good, like medicine” and, “Hope deferred makes the heart sick.” Science backs this up! Takosubo cardiomyopathy, or “broken heart syndrome,” occurs when a very negative emotional event leads to heart attack like symptoms.

We’ve all heard heart-related metaphors in songs, speeches, and sermons. But the Bible doesn’t just speak metaphorically about the heart—it challenges us to give God our whole heart. Proverbs 3:5 says, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart." How can you trust the Lord with all of your heart if your heart itself is divided?

Let’s begin by exploring the structure of our lives using the metaphor of the heart’s chambers. Just like the physical heart has four chambers, we might say our emotional and spiritual hearts have multiple “chambers” too. Here are five that show up in most of our lives:

• Public Self – This is how you act when others are watching. Think of it as your social self—the version of you that shows up in public spaces.

• Private Self – This is either the relaxed, unfiltered version of yourself, think at home, in your pajamas unwinding, or the insecure cluttered mess that no one gets to see. You project having it all together, but you’re falling apart.

• Work Self – The professional version of you, showing up to get the job done, filtering behavior according to the workplace norms.

• Church Self – Often overly polished. This self says, “I’m fine. God is good,” even when your life is falling apart.

• Internal Self – The most hidden chamber. This is where our darkest, most treacherous thoughts and motives reside.
  

Psychologists call the act of separating these “selves” compartmentalization. It can be a healthy coping mechanism—like setting aside work stress so you can enjoy family time. It becomes dangerous when we use it to hide parts of ourselves from God and anyone who cares about us. We wall off parts of our hearts—intentionally or unintentionally—to avoid the discomfort of conviction and accountability. We all compartmentalize, but if we want to live fully for Christ, we need to give me access to every chamber.

The Problem: High Places

To understand how our hearts become divided, we need to talk about High Places. In ancient Israel, the Canaanites built their altars to other gods on hills and elevated spots. These “high places” were believed to be physically closer to the gods. Tragically, Israel began to adopt this practice. (You can read more about high places here)

They weren’t trying to abandon their faith entirely. They just wanted to cover their bases. They built high places as a backup—just in case God didn’t come through. They were hedging their bets. Their actions admitted the possibility that the God of Israel might not be enough. So they worshiped God and other gods.

Here’s a hard truth: We do the same thing. Our modern-day high places aren’t carved idols or stone altars. They're things we elevate in our hearts between us and God:

• Fear

• Doubt

• Comfort

• Control

• Our favorite sins

• Substance Abuse

• Mental Illness

• Physical Fitness

High Places in Real Life

Let’s look at a few examples of a few areas that can easily grow into high places in our lives:

• How We Worry

In The Gospel of Luke chapter 12, a crowd gathers around Jesus and grows to many thousands. He tells them to not put their trust in religion, but to place their faith in him. He tells them that it will be challenging and there may be persecution ahead, but encourages them to not worry about what to say. Jesus tells them they will have the Holy Spirit to guide them. When someone from the crowd asks Jesus to force their brother to split some money between them he tells them a parable that says they shouldn’t be concerned about worldly wealth because their lives will soon be required of them. THEN, after telling everyone that they are about to face persecution and their lives could be at risk, he turns from the crowd to his disciples and tells them not to worry!

22 Then Jesus said to his disciples: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. 23 For life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. 24 Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! 25 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life? 26 Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest? (Luke 12:22-26)

I read passages like this and think, “Oh! Just don’t worry. Thank you Jesus for clearing that up for me. I’ll just stop it.” If only it worked like that. The good news is, that’s not exactly what Jesus was saying. This part of the Bible was written in Greek. The word that is translated here as “worry” is merimnaō. It means, “to have anxiety,” Jesus then goes on to tell us that God takes care of all of the lesser creatures on the earth and that we are much more important to him that all of that. Jesus isn’t simply telling us to toughen up and not worry. He’s telling us to let God worry about us. Jesus continues:

27 “Consider how the wild flowers grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 28 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you—you of little faith! 29 And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. 30 For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. (Luke 12:27-30)

The first statement, the one that references the birds, is about survival. If God provides for the survival of birds, then he will certainly provide for your survival. This next passage is about quality of life. Your Heavenly Father doesn’t just want you to survive. He wants you to survive. All of scripture is reminding us to fend off the anxiety that is a very natural ailment by trusting every part of our lives to a God who cares desperately for us:

• Don’t Be Anxious About Provision

  • Psalm 37:25 25 I was young and now I am old,     yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken     or their children begging bread.
    

• Don’t Be Anxious About Justice

  • Psalm 37:1-3 1 Do not fret because of those who are evil     or be envious of those who do wrong; 2 for like the grass they will soon wither,     like green plants they will soon die away. 3 Trust in the Lord and do good;     dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.
    

• Don’t Be Anxious About Making Big Decisions

  • James 1:5 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.

Why is worrying a high place? Worry and anxiety can become a such a crippling force in our lives that is stops us from moving forward. If you are paralyzed by anxiety you can’t discover what’s next. I can hear some of you asking, “So, you’re saying that anxiety is just a spiritual issue.” That’s not what I’m saying at all. I do know that two things can be true at the same time. Anxiety is often times a spiritual and a medical issue. We all experience worry and anxiety from time to time, but if you feel like the balance of your time is spent on worrying, you should talk to your doctor and your pastor.

• How We Problem Solve

One of the challenges we must overcome is the idea that operating in the World according to God’s standards sets us at a disadvantage. When you see others cutting corners, being less than honest, and taking advantage of others how could you not? Most people look first to their own success and comfort as a primary responsibility. Paul writes to the church in Philip: "21 For everyone looks out for their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ." The only way you to feel disadvantaged against the world is if you measure your success the way the world does. The first metric for success for Christ-followers must be, "Am I on the right side of the issue with God?"

• How We Spend and Save Money

Not all high places come in the form of hard times. One of the highest causes of anxiety is a lack of financial security, but one of the leading sources of feeling comfortable relying on yourself instead of God is an abundance of funds. King David wrote in the Psalms, “7 Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God” (Psalm 20:7). David is saying that he doesn’t find security in the size and strength of his armies, but he finds it in his relationship with God. Sometimes you find more comfort in security our own ability to pad our bank account than we do in a God who loves you more than you love yourself.

This list isn’t exhaustive. What are your high places—what do you turn to out of fear or doubt instead of turning to God?

Conclusion: This is About Faith

A divided heart reveals a divided trust. But God is not afraid of your doubts—He wants to destroy your strongholds. The same God on the other side of your high places is the One who tears them down. You don’t need a backup plan. You need faith. Trust Him with all your heart—and let Him reign in every chamber.

Challenge: Tear Down the High Places

In Matthew 17, a man brings his demon possessed son to Jesus because the disciples were unable to help. Jesus is frustrated, but he performs a miracle and sets the boy free. He’s not frustrated with the boy or his father. He’s frustrated with his disciples. Later they ask him why they were unsuccessful and he He teaches that they have a faith that moves mountains, just didn’t trust God to actually set the boy free. If faith can move mountains, it can certainly demolish your high places. If you want to live with an undivided heart start here:

What Do I Do About It?

• Resolve to Trust God with All Your Heart

  • Proverbs 3:5 – Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.
    

• Remove the spiritual hedges.

  • Psalm 118:8-98 It is better to take refuge in the Lord     than to trust in humans. 9 It is better to take refuge in the Lord     than to trust in princes.
    

• Check Yourself Along the Way

  • Psalm 139:23–24 23 Search me, God, and know my heart;     test me and know my anxious thoughts. 24 See if there is any offensive way in me,   and lead me in the way everlasting.
    

• Find Strength in Others

  • 1 Thessalonians 5:9–11 (MSG) – Speak encouraging words to each other. Remind each other of God’s faithfulness.