Gospel Gab: The head and the heart

Ava Hicks, Staff Writer

I have always found it peculiar how we associate certain emotions with stemming from the heart. All sense of feeling and thought are obviously products of the brain, yet we choose to associate things such as love and anger with the heart organ.

Perhaps this is because as human beings, we possess a powerful spirit of sentiment that often causes us to romanticize things. The heart shape is a symbol of amour and passion, so wouldn’t it make sense that we feel love in our hearts?

Actually, there is some scientific data to explain the intense quivering that occasionally overwhelms the depths of your rib cage. Certain emotions cause your heart rate to drastically increase, in turn affecting your hormone levels and blood pressure. This leads to a tightening in the chest because of the constricting of blood vessels.

Just as there is a distinction between emotions felt in the head and those felt in the heart, there is a significant difference between adopting a devotional mindset and legitimately knowing and accepting Christ into your heart.

In fact, the internal presence of Christ brings about sensations that are incredibly similar to the profound throbbing experienced through deep affection. The reason for this is simple—when you fully welcome the Lord into your heart, you are receiving the greatest unconditional love imaginable on a very personal level.

A follower of Christ knows and can plainly state the fact that God is in complete control of their life and that whatever happens, it is all a part of His plan and serves a greater purpose. This is a notable teaching of the religion that is known and often recited by believers during tough times.

However, there is a prominent difference between being aware of this doctrine and authentically trusting and believing in your heart that God’s hand is steering every aspect of your life. This trust is the very foundation of the concept of faith and marks the distinction between identifying as a Christian and truly knowing Jesus.

Any single person could read the entirety of the Bible twenty times, thoroughly annotating each and every verse, acquiring a preponderance of knowledge regarding the Christian faith. Even with all of this comprehension and insight of the religion, they may not necessarily feel that overwhelming sensation that accompanies pure love.

The word “heart” is used around 700 times in the Old Testament, and more often than not, it is used in the context of referring to one’s deep emotional state and well-being. One of the more well-known verses regarding the heart is Proverbs 4:23. “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.”

As humans, our internal design is so immeasurably complex. We are not always in complete understanding or control of what we are feeling. Our emotions can truly be like a high-speed roller coaster in the dark, rising and escalating abruptly without any sort of warning.

This is why Solomon advised in Proverbs to protect your heart from “perversity,” “corrupt talk,” and wholly evil things. Not only does the preservation of your heart uplift your attitude and overall outlook, but maintaining an open heart leaves room for Christ to enter and deliver into you a love so unequivocal and absolute that there will be no empty space remaining for doubt or distress.