I’ve been thinking a lot about my heart lately. A lot. I’ve heard it said time and again that we’re made up of mind, soul and spirit. And yet, I’ve never heard one single sermon on this. I can think of plenty of sermons on the body and how we treat it and what we had better make sure we keep it from doing. I can think of messages on my mind and garbage in, garbage out, and how I need to take thoughts obedient to Christ. But the heart? The soul? The spirit? Ummm, nope. Can’t think of a one.

I actually Googled the question, “What is the difference between the soul, the heart, the spirit and the mind?” and here’s what I got, from Tony Capoccia of Bible Bulletin Board:

“To show how important it is to know which Greek word is being use to gain a proper understanding, look at {this} verse: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind….” [Luke 10:27]. The word for “heart” here is kardia” = “the thoughts or feelings.” It does not refer to the flesh of the heart that pumps blood, but really our “mind” in the sense of our “soul” or “spirit.” The word translated “soul” in the verse is “psuche” (breath). But the word translated “mind” here is not referring to our “soul or spirit” for the Greek word used is “dianoia” which refers to our “deep thoughts” that is, the exercise of our minds. So the verse used “heart and soul” for emphasis, since they really refer to the same thing: the “spirit,” and then adds that we are to love our God with our actual thoughts.”

So, it sounds to me like heart/soul/spirit are the same and mind is something separate. Good to know. With that said, allow me continue.

So I’m thinking about my heart. For two reasons. One, I’ve been having palpitations on and off for the last two months and I’ve never, ever had anything like this before. I even had an EKG and wore a holter monitor for twenty four hours. They found nothing but the flutterings, as I prefer to call them, are unsettling to say the least.

And two, my heart is hardening up.Not across the board, but on one certain subject I am practically numb.And I don’t know how to change what I feel deep down in my heart/soul/spirit.I’m praying against coldness settling in.I’m acting, to the best of my ability, as if it’s not…you know, trying the old adage of “fake it until you make it”…but “everything in me is drawing in, closing in around this pain” to quote Sara Groves, and I don’t know how to fight against it.

So my heart, this paradoxically strong muscle that keeps me alive and yet fragile cavity that holds my deepest longings, is on my mind these days.I’m trying to tend to it, take care of it, pray healing over it (both physically and spiritually), pray for it to stay wide open when it wants to clench up and stay that way, guard it as Scripture commands, but the heart is a powerful and mysterious thing, and I’m just a girl who’s a little weary these days.

Psalm 27:8
My heart says of you, “Seek his face!” Your face, LORD, I will seek.

Psalm 27:14
Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD.

Life isn't always how we want it. When change seems elusive, and we're stuck in old routines, a gentle push or some self-reflection can make a difference. Let these questions be that nudge to get you moving.

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