The Heart of SignificanceSample

Inside Out 

Our internal reality becomes our external reality. That is the nature of life for the believer. Inside first, which means the thoughts, ambitions, and desires that are shaped by His heart will eventually influence and help design the nature of the world we will live in.

Jesus slept in a storm, which shows He had great peace. But when He stood to confront the storm by rebuking it and then declaring peace, the storm stopped. It was no match for the peace that was in Him. His internal reality became His external reality.

Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm.

—Mark 4:39, NKJV

These stories are more than entertainment. They are patterns for life. They illustrate what the renewed mind looks like in a practical sense. 

The Bible is the anchor of the heart and mind—the plumb line. The standard set in the Scriptures is what introduces us to the grace that makes living like Jesus, inside and out, even possible. The more our inner world reflects His heart, the more we can be trusted to influence the world around us. 

The pure in heart will see God. Purity in our inner man enables us to see what otherwise would be missed: God Himself. He can be found by those whose hearts are pure. Grace empowers us to perform His will. Law requires; grace enables.

Favor usually manifests outwardly. It’s recognized by title, resource, authority, and anointing. But what He releases to our outer man is according to what He’s found on the inside. We are designed to mirror outwardly what’s happening behind the scenes in our private life. Proverbs 4:23 states: “Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the issues of life.” Jesus said in Luke 17:21, “The kingdom of God is within you” (NKJV), which to me means all kingdom issues are matters of the heart. And while I may not understand all the implications of these statements, I know for certain that my priority is to manage my inner world well.

 Living Unoffended

One of the biggest challenges in ministry is to give yourself to a people group, to an assignment, without picking up the offenses of the people you’re serving. Can you minister to children without being offended at the adults who don’t prioritize children? Can you minister to adults without being offended at young people who show no respect to adults? Can you serve the poor without being offended at the rich? Can you serve the rich without being offended at those who won’t work? Can you minister to one race without being offended at another race? Can you serve prisoners without becoming angry at those who seek justice? These are very real and challenging situations.

I’ve watched this for years and have watched people give themselves in ministry to their assignment. The mistake is made when we feel the need to prove our solidarity with that group, and we ignorantly pick up their offenses. It masquerades as a partnership of sorts. It is possible to feel someone’s pain without picking up their spiritual disease.

I’m sure many would call that offense bitterness. Bitterness in any measure is contaminating in nature. A warning given in Hebrews 12:15 is that bitterness causes trouble, defiling many. I think one of the main things that keeps us from having the cultural impact that God has assigned for us is the challenge of wading deep into the dark places of life and serving well without getting contaminated by the sins people carry. James put it this way:

But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there.

—James 3:14–16, NKJV

Staying clean in attitude is everything. Everything. Maintaining humility of heart and mind is essential to the overall health of the individual. This is being healthy on the inside first. It is worth all efforts.