Recently, I read a post on a friend’s Facebook page where the author noted, “Right in the center of the word HEART is EAR. Because the real ear is located in the center of the heart. Also, in the word heart is HEAR. Your heart is where your ear to hear is.” (Dawn Adkins)
I’ve led a number of folks through our Journey Tools program which is centered on having healing conversations with the Holy Spirit. Nevertheless, I myself was having a hard time connecting with the Lord over the last few months.
So, when I read that statement in the FB post, the Lord reminded me of the times He made statements regarding Israel like, “They have eyes to see but do not see and ears to hear but do not hear, for they are a rebellious people.” (Ezekiel 12:2)
Hearing from the Lord is done with the heart. I had been just trying to hear Him in my mind.
At some point, I had given into rebellion – having a stronger desire to do my will than His will – and that coupled with fear of being told to do something I didn’t want to do had shut down my heart’s ears.
Also, I had allowed distractions to drain me of quiet times with Him, the kind of time that allows me to focus my heart’s eyes and ears on Him so I can see and hear.
Sure, I was reading my Bible daily and praying, but it was done more with my mind than my heart. I’ve long been a student of God’s Word, so it’s easy for me to make it a mental task instead of engaging my heart first and then my mind.
I was struck also that we are commanded to love the LORD our God first with our heart. Why? The heart is the wellspring of our life.
It is out of our heart that we speak and act.
Our heart’s eyes are how we engage our sanctified imagination for seeing as He sees. We are called to fix our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith. (Hebrews 12:2)
We sing the well-known chorus, “Open the eyes of our heart, Lord; open the eyes of our heart. We want to see You; we want to see You…”
I was watching a lot of great Bible teaching, but I was using it to distract me from just seeing and hearing Holy Spirit because I was afraid of what He might say.
So, I spent some time just talking with the Lord after confessing shutting my heart off to Him and surrendered the eyes and ears of my heart to Him.
I am seeking to be more aware of what my heart’s eyes and ears are tuned into.
Using some warfare prayers, I uprooted lies the enemy planted against God’s love and replaced them with declarations of Truth.
I am seeing and hearing much more clearly now.
So, I share all this in case it might helps others, who are having trouble connecting in the hearts to the Lord, to do a simple heart check.
Ask the Lord if the eyes and ears of your heart are seeing and hearing clearly.
If not, ask what lie you’ve believed and what fear have you allowed in, and then ask the Spirit to speak truth into the lie and fear.
Renounce the bad stuff; receive the good stuff.
Enjoy the ongoing two-way conversation that God intends for us to have with Him.
I hope this encourages you.
Blessings!
Robyn Henning