So, if there is such a close correlation between the heart and the mind, how does one keep from losing one or both? Friedrich Nietzsche said, "One ought to hold on to one's heart; for if one lets it go, one soon loses control of the head too." Of course, Nietzsche was making light of love as an emotion; he was saying that if you fall in love (lose your heart), you will also lose your mind. But in the biblical sense, losing heart is more akin to becoming dismayed or depressed, losing one's motivation. Hebrews 12:3 says, "Consider Him (Jesus) who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart." Rudyard Kipling wrote a poem entitled "If", which is often reduced to this one line: If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs...you'll be a man, my son. Having seen many men who have lost their minds, I would disagree with the poem's premise. Isaiah 26:3 says, "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on You."
Therefore, I believe that key to keeping your heart and mind from being lost or broken lies in a relationship with Jesus Christ. Please note that I am not talking about clinical depression--taking anti-depressant medication is not a sin. I am talking about losing hope. And in this vein, the Bible is very clear.
Ephesians 6 speaks of the "Armor of God". The first line of defense against the spiritual enemy is the Belt of Truth (Ephesians 6:14). Do not listen to Satan's lies, for you are a child of God.
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things. (Philippians 4:8)To keep from losing hope, remember what you know in your mind and trust in your heart. God is sovereign--that's the Truth. Jesus Christ is God's Son, who died a sacrificial death on our behalf and who was raised on the third day by God' power--that's the truth. Jesus ascended into heaven, but He sent the Holy Spirit as our Comforter, to indwell us until Christ's triumphant return to earth as King of kings and Lord of lords--that's the truth.
The second piece of armor Paul talks about in Ephesians 6 is specifically meant to guard the heart. It is the Breastplate of Righteousness. (Ephesians 6:14(b)). This cannot be confused with self-righteousness. We may be on the side of the right and good, but we are mere sinners saved by grace. The Bible says that our righteousness is as filthy rags. But if we truly seek the righteousness of God, He promised to meet all our other needs. Matthew 6:33 says, "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." What other things? In context, Jesus spoke of peripheral things, like clothes and food and drink. We may think of them as basic human necessities. Evolutionists theorize about early Man being motivated by finding food and shelter, for without these things our species would have died out. In contrast, Jesus speaks about the most important thing being our identification as members of a spiritual Kingdom, led by a Righteous God. Instead of taking a humanistic or evolutionary world view, Jesus reminded us that we are created in the image of God (Genesis 1:27).
The final piece of armor that Paul spoke of was specifically meant to protect the head. It is the Helmet of Salvation (Ephesians 6:17). This was perhaps the last piece of armor that a soldier would don when preparing for battle. Does it mean that the head is the lead important part of the body? Of course not! The head holds the mind and thoughts of a person. It is at least as important as the heart. A man can live without an arm or a leg; he can live without one kidney or a lung. But a man cannot live without a heart and a head. So protecting the head is fundamental to physical life. Similarly, the knowledge of Salvation is fundamental to our spiritual life. Not only is the helmet fundamental, it is a means of identification. The colors worn on the helmet helped the soldier recognize who was the enemy and who was an ally. If you find yourself battling a certain sin or situation in your life, it is helpful to seek out like-minded Christians who can help you to fight the good fight. And finally, Paul reminds us that our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against spiritual beings set on destruction of our faith, because he equates the Helmet of Salvation with the Sword of the Spirit (which is the word of God--Ephesians 6:17). If you are identified as a Christian by taking on that mind-set, then it is best to be armed with Scripture that you can use to ward off satanic advances. Remember the temptation of Jesus, when Satan came at Him three times? In all three instances, Jesus used Scripture to answer Satan's lies.
Romans 10:9-10 is a bed-rock scripture for salvation, but it also equates the heart and mind in our spiritual battle.
"If you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord', and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved."Both the heart and head are necessary for life; both the heart and head are necessary for salvation. The heart is the center of belief, trust and faith. The head is more than a vehicle for the mouth; in this scripture, the mouth reveals what the mind knows is true. This is the essence of confession. This is the cornerstone of our faith.
If you are in a position where you are about to lose heart, or if you begin questioning what you believe to be true, then pray to God the Father. It is vital that we establish a relationship with God, and that we maintain it daily. Each day we must pray that God will protect our minds with the knowledge of His salvation; each day we must pray that God will protect our hearts with His righteousness. If we concentrate on advancing His kingdom and knowing His righteousness, all of our other "peripheral" needs will also be met.
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