by Justin Morton
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), around 702,880 people died from heart disease in 2022.[1] I do not know about you, but that number seems awfully high. While some of these individuals may have known they had problems with their heart, others may have been living unaware of such serious problems.
As unnerving as that might seem, more people may be living with a heart defect then we realize. While there may be nothing wrong with their physical heart, their spiritual heart is in a sad and very tragic condition. Jesus said, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God” (Matt. 5:8). If the pure in heart shall see God, then what does that mean for those who are not pure in heart? I think you already know the answer. Those who are not pure in heart will not see God. In other words, those who have a spiritual heart problem, will not have the opportunity to be with God for all of eternity.
This begs the question, “How is your heart?” Each one of us needs to spend some time examining ourselves (2 Cor. 13:5). We need to make sure our hearts are right in the sight of God. One way to know what kind of heart we have is to look at our actions and the way we live before others. Do our lives produce the fruit of the spirit (Gal. 5:22-24)? If not, perhaps we have a problem with our heart. The wise man said, “As in water face reflects face, so the heart of man reflects the man” (Prov. 27:19).
More than half of the people in the US do not know that heart disease is the leading cause of death in America according to a Harris Poll survey.[2] Can you imagine the difference it could make if more people were aware of this serious issue? Likewise, what kind of difference might it make if more people realized they had a spiritual heart issue that had eternal consequences? Perhaps more people would be able to experience eternal life instead of eternal condemnation.
No one around you can see the condition of your physical heart. The only way for that to happen is by means of special imaging done in medical facilities. But God knows your heart’s condition, physical and spiritual (I Sam. 16:7). And just like if you had a physical heart condition you would need to take action quickly, likewise, if you have a spiritual heart issue, action needs to be taken immediately. It is not just a matter of life and death, but it is a matter of eternity.
When David discovered the condition of his heart before God, he prayed: “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me” (Psa. 51:10). Maybe this is the prayer you need to be praying as well. Consider this: “Is your heart right with God?”
[1] https://www.cdc.gov/heart-disease/data-research/facts-stats/index.html
[2] https://newsroom.heart.org/news/more-than-half-of-u-s-adults-dont-know-heart-disease-is-leading-cause-of-death-despite-100-year-reign