The Heart Is Capable

By Steve Clark

August 6, 2026

Jeremiah 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?

The Bible reminds us that the human heart is powerful. It is capable of deep love, great compassion, and unwavering faith. Yet it is also capable of pride, bitterness, envy, lust, and rebellion against God. Left to itself, the heart cannot be trusted to guide us because it is influenced by our sinful nature.

This is why the world says, “Follow your heart,” but God says, “Guard your heart.” Proverbs 4:23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.  What fills our heart will eventually shape our words, actions, and decisions.

The good news is that God specializes in changing hearts. David prayed, “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me” (Psalm 51:10) God does not simply improve the old heart—He transforms it through His Word and the work of the Holy Spirit.

Jesus taught that what comes out of a person’s mouth reveals what is already in the heart (Matthew 15:18-19). If we desire our lives to honor Christ, we must allow Him to search us, convict us, and mold us daily.

Today, ask yourself: What is my heart producing? Is it producing forgiveness or resentment? Faith or fear? Humility or pride? Love or selfishness? The condition of the heart is far more important than outward appearance, for “man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7).

A heart surrendered to Christ becomes a vessel through which His grace, truth, and love can flow to others.

We must be careful to never say, “I would never do that sin!”  We cannot be naïve to this! We must face the truth that we need the Lord in every aspect of our lives till we go home to be with Him!

Reflection—If the reservoir is polluted, it does no good to fix the pipes and the valves.