What Has the Eyes of Your Heart? Three Ways to Assess the Focus of Your Heart

Have you ever become so focused on something that you miss what is around you? I know I am notorious for this. In fact, I miss seeing walls, curbs, and other immovable objects just to get to whatever it is I am after. And, usually, some part of my body accrues a notice of my inability to see what is around me. The same can be true of our hearts if we are not focused on what is holy, healing, and hopeful.

The Nudge

I have read Ephesians many times, but this is the first time Eph. 1:18 has caught my attention. Paul is giving thanks and praying for the people of Ephesus and states

 “…having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope

to which he has called you, what are the riches of the glorious inheritance in the

saints…” (Ephesians 1:18, ESV)

 As I read this, the Holy Spirit did what only he can do, and he gently nudged me, and asked, “What do you think has the eyes of your heart?” I winced a little at the question, yet I also relaxed into it knowing that I would not be nudged if God did not care. And because he is the caring, loving, and kind God that he is, he wants me to be focused on what draws me nearer to him to show his glory and experience all that he has for me. And this is not just something that he does for me; this is for you too.

Outside of Christ, we are the only ones that truly know our hearts’ focus. And to assess where our heart is, we need a way to know whether what we are turning our attention to what is holy, healing, and hopeful. Maybe together we can implement the following tools to encourage each other and strengthen the body of Christ.

 Assessing our Heart

 1)        Is our focus holy?

One of the first steps in assessing our hearts’ focus is to determine if what we are focused on is holy. To determine this, we can use Philippians 4:8 as a litmus test. Is what we are turning our hearts toward true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent and praiseworthy? If not, then we need to remember the remedy as Matthew 6:33 offers. Jesus reminds us, “Seek first God’s kingdom and what God wants. Then all your needs will be met as well.”  Seeking first His kingdom will help us to recalibrate our focus.

Another question to ask ourselves is what we are focused on drawing others to Christ? 1 Peter 1:15-16 states, “But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: ‘Be holy, because I am holy.” Our lives on this earth are limited. What we show others of who Christ is matters. Galatians 5:25 also reminds us, “Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit” (NIV). To draw others to Christ, to remain connected to Christ, we need walk in the light as he is in the light (1 John 1:7). In doing so, our hearts will be focused on what is holy allowing others to be drawn to God’s holiness also.

While all this is important and must be put first, please know that God has given us things on this earth to enjoy. And we are allowed to enjoy them. However, this becomes an issue when what we focus on reaches a point of becoming an idol. Again, using the verses mentioned will help us to keep that in check.

 2)        Does our focus offer healing?

Another avenue for assessing whether our focus is on what it needs to be is to determine whether it is providing healing or harm. God is for us, not against us (Romans 8:31). Therefore, if what we focus on is causing us harm, we are focused on the wrong thing. Our hearts’ focus should allow us the opportunity to experience the healing we need to be whole in Christ.  

Paul in 1 Corinthians 10 explores Christian freedom with Corinthians. And while Paul is speaking to them in using their newfound freedom in an honorable way, I could not help but see this connection to our healing of our soul also. Paul states, “We are allowed to do all things, but not everything is beneficial. I have the right to do anything, but not everything is constructive” (vs. 23, NIV). God provides us the opportunity to live in abundance and in community with him and other believers. However, if what we are focused on is not beneficial or constructive, how can we live in that abundance or in community healthily?

Healing can come from confessing our sins (1 John 1:9), asking for help from Christ and others (John 14:14; Galatians 6:2), and acknowledging our pain (Psalm 88:1). We cannot heal what we do not feel. And we cannot feel what we do not acknowledge. Additionally, the “others” we ask for help can be therapists and doctors. There is no sin or shame in seeking professional help.

3)        Does our focus provide hope?

The enemy is good at what he does. He prowls around ready to devour us and all that God has given us, including our hope (1 Peter 5:8). Therefore, if our focus lacks hope, we need to reset it because God is a God of hope not of condemnation (Romans 15:13).

Hebrews 6:17-19 reminds us that God never changes and that his purposes are true and solid. His hope is an “anchor for the soul, sure and strong” (vs. 19). And the hope God provides does not put us “…to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into hour hearts through the Holy Spirit” (Romans 5:5). Hope is ours to have!

While hope is ours and always available to us, this does not mean that at times our hope will not wane. We are human and sometimes facing life just seems too much to bear. We may be facing sickness, terminal illness, financial difficulties, relationship endings, job loss, and more. And we may wonder, “Where is hope now?” Like David, we may cry out, “I am losing all hope; I am paralyzed with fear” (Psalm 143:4, NLT). But David shifts his focus ending the Psalm with, Because of your faithfulness, bring me out of this distress.  In your unfailing love, silence all my enemies and destroy all my foes, for I am your servant” (Vs. 11-12). David resets his focus on God the author and perfector of hope and love.

Additionally, Lamentations speaks of much weeping, but reminds us that even in the darkest of times, “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning” (Lamentations 3:22-23). Lastly, Paul also is clear, “We have troubles all around us, but we are not defeated…We are persecuted but God does not leave us. We are hurt sometimes, but we are not destroyed” (2 Corinthians 4:8-9, NCV). It is okay that we cry out in pain, acknowledge our darkest times, but we must not lose hope. Hope is ours to have for today and all eternity.

Final Thoughts

This life is anything but easy. It will provide us many opportunities to set our hearts’ focus to what is fleeting, false, and foolish. To bring our hearts’ focus back from the rip tides of such opportunities, we would be wise to continually assess our hearts’ focus to ensure it is set on what is holy, healing, and hopeful. When we do so, we experience the beauty of “the hope to which he has called us” (Ephesians 1:18).