Enlarge My Heart

“I will run in the way of your commandments when you enlarge my heart!” (Psalm 119:32 ESV)

I am ailed daily. Physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. I am prone to selfish gain. My heart is notorious for wandering in its never-ending me-centered desires. I idolize “my” time, though none of the time I experience is actually mine to idolize. I hinder peace in my home when I attempt to control schedules and space. I want things to be how I want them and I don’t want to evaluate my motives or consider the desires of others. My flesh is built toward hogging glory that was never mine to claim. I am daily plagued with deeming others’ needs as inconvenient. I can find myself lavishing in thoughts of wanting more. I am ailed with a heart and mind that lives in discontent. I battle with succumbing to lazy days and gluttonous ways. I can persuasively justify why self-control in certain areas is too difficult.

It is so easy to live this way. It is what my flesh craves and delights in.

But.

When the Lord of Lord’s mercifully made Himself known to me, awakened me to the truth of my state of sin, revealed to me my need for a Savior, and drew me to faith and repentance—A war began in my life.

A commitment to extinguish the follies of my flesh began.

I praise my Holy God for this war.

This war rages. Daily.

As it should in you if you are a fellow follower of Jesus Christ.

This war is the mark of a true Believer. This war’s purpose is to make us more into the image of our wonderful Savior, Jesus. This war is our beautiful journey of sanctification that we get to go on with the Holy Spirit. It’s by the Spirit’s work that we are equipped, enabled, and eager to be made more holy with each forsaking of the flesh we encounter.

This war on the flesh for the Believer should be made much of, but if we’re honest it has been made much less of in today’s Christian culture.

It’s not cool to restrict our flesh.

Restrict it anyway.

It’s not popular to walk under self-control.

Walker under it anyway.

You won’t gain millions of followers by pursuing holiness.

Pursue it anyway.

All of the ailments of our flesh and woes of our days are understood by the authors of the Psalms.

I visit this book often because often my flesh rears for a fight against my Spirit. I am anguished when spiritual things feel too hard. And they are hard. The Psalms remind me that many brothers and sisters in Christ before me have been plagued with these same wrestling’s with the flesh as they fight the temptation of sordid sin.

Psalm 119 is a favorite of mine to visit and camp at for long periods of time. This Psalm observes and celebrates the beautiful gift of God’s law and His wonderful covenant with His people.

The Psalmist starts by penning about the one who is blessed.

“Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the LORD! Blessed are those who seek his testimonies, who seek him with their whole heart, who also do no wrong, but walk in his ways! You have commanded your precepts to be kept diligently,” (Psalm 119:1-4 ESV).

The law of the Lord is a blessing to His people, not a burden that is kept only satisfying religiosities. The Psalmist writes with wisdom as he references Moses writings in the second verse. “But from there you will seek the LORD your God and you find him, if you search after him with all your heart and with all your soul,” (Deuteronomy 4:29 ESV).

What a gift the Lord has given us by bestowing a yearning for seeking Him when He granted us faith in Him. Seek Him.

He goes on to write about the way to purity.

“How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word. With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments! I have stored up your word in my heart, that I may not sin against you. Blessed are you, O LORD; teach me your statutes!” (Psalm 119: 9-12 ESV)

Purity feels far away in our world. It should be something to cherish, but it is easily thrown away and trampled on. Purity of the mind, heart, and body is beautiful, yet impossible to put on perfectly in this clothing of flesh we must remain adorned in until our time in glory. Though impossible to perfect, purity is pursued by guarding our eyes, minds, and hearts with God’s Word. We must read, know, and apply God’s Word for this to be true in our own lives. We won’t happen upon purity; we must pursue it through seeking the Lord.

“Deal bountifully with your servant, that I may live and keep your word. Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law. I am a sojourner on the earth; hide not your commandments from me! My soul is consumed with longing for your rules at all times,” (Psalm 119:17-20 ESV).

I’d be lying if I said that my soul is consumed with longing for God’s rules at all times. I yearn for God’s rules at most times, but not at all times. Oh, the joy that awaits us in heaven as we will worship our Lord with no hinderances of sin and distractions of our flesh!

The Psalmist is writing with zeal, urging his readers to yearn for God. To seek His commandments. To love His Word. To surrender to His ways.

“Put false ways far from me and graciously teach me your law! I have chosen the way of faithfulness; I set your rules before me, I cling to your testimonies, O LORD; let me not be put to shame! I will run in the way of your commandments when you enlarge my heart!” (Psalm 119:29-32 ESV).

The Psalmist knows that he cannot put false ways away from himself, he cannot cling to the Lord’s testimonies alone, and he cannot run in the way that the Lord commands apart from the Lord enlarging his heart. He knows His spiritual successes are not of his own doing but only comes from the Lord increasing his faith and expanding his ability to understand and abide in God’s Truth.

Lord, enlarge my heart!

I pray the cry of your life is for the Lord to enlarge your heart to the things of Him.

When we are ailed physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually—Lord, enlarge our hearts toward You. When we are prone to selfish gain, a wandering heart, and me-centered desires— Lord, enlarge our hearts toward You. When we idolize time, hinder peace, attempt to control, and are inconsiderate to the desires of others—Lord, enlarge our hearts toward You. When we glory-hog, don’t want to be bothered by the needs of others, battle discontentment, and desire an easy life that results in laziness and gluttony—Lord, enlarge our hearts toward YOU.

The Psalmist writes a few verses later, one of my favorite verses in Psalm 119.

“Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things; and give me life in your ways,” (Psalm 119:37 ESV).

Everything in life that does not honor the Lord or reflect our delight in Him is worthless.

Lord, enlarge our hearts as You guard us and turn our eyes away from looking at all of the worthless, time-stealing, brain-rotting, sin-enhancing things of this world… Give us life, everlasting, in Your ways that are beautiful, becoming, and boundless.

I Trust my God, I Trust my God, I Trust my God

Ardently His,

Jess Dennis

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