If you are like me, you think about the future. You try to imagine what is in store for your family, your job, your living situation and your health. Normal people desire a happy, prosperous future. But is there anything we can do about it?
“A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.” (Luke 6:45)
In every heart there exists a ‘treasure.’ This treasure can consist of good or evil. Proverbs 4:23 tells us; ‘Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.’ Why is the heart so important? Because the heart is the true source of man’s life and future. It is the heart that decides whether we live by the Spirit or by the flesh. It is in the heart that thoughts are conceived, emotions are nurtured or ignored, and actions are born.
“For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:” (Mt. 15:19)
In other words, your future resides in your heart. Your future consists of thoughts, words and actions that have yet to be expressed. You can allow your heart to be a warehouse for the past; a storehouse of the hurts, the anger, the offenses, failures and memories that you choose to live from. Or, it can be a factory of faith for the future. Your treasure can consist of the promises of God, your identity in Christ, a vision of success, the expectation of goodness and mercy and the actions of kindness. In your heart reside the ‘issues of life.’
You are the creator of your future. You have sovereign control over your thoughts, words and actions. How you respond to the circumstances in this fallen world is up to you. Fill the treasure of your heart with the seed of God’s Word and decide to create an overcoming future.