The Person Who Lives Inside You

“Keep your heart pure. A pure heart is necessary to see God in each other. If you see God in each other, there is love for each other, then there is peace.”

—MOTHER TERESA

Since by your obedience to the Truth through the [Holy] Spirit you have purified your hearts for the sincere affection of the brethren, [see that you] love one another fervently from a pure heart.

—1 Peter 1:22

We all have someone living inside us. He is called the hidden man of the heart, and if we are going to enjoy life, we must like that person. The importance of a right heart cannot be overestimated. God looks on the heart of man; He despises an evil heart but loves a righteous one. God delights in a person who wants to do what is right even if he does not always succeed. I believe God would rather have someone with a right heart who makes mistakes, than someone who has a perfect performance but holds on to a wicked heart.

God also delights in a peaceful heart, one not anxious or upset. Having peace in our hearts proves we are truly trusting God in all matters pertaining to life that concern us. When our hearts lean one way inside of us, but we ignore that sign and pretend to feel another way or act in a way that’s not true to who we really are, it makes life extremely complicated. We have to pretend in everything, which certainly keeps life from being simple. Have you ever heard the phrase “Pure and Simple”? I used to keep a sign on my desk with that statement on it because I wanted to remind myself—if I wanted a simple life, I had to keep a pure heart.

Get to know the hidden man of the heart. Do some soul-searching and ask yourself if what you show people is the real you or someone else you have invented. If you need a change then begin by asking God to purify your heart. Start by examining your thoughts and attitudes. Facing truth is not always easy, but it is the beginning of having a life really worth living.