What Is Your Bent?

By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.  Hebrews 11:3

Some people are emotionally driven, others are intellectually driven.  In their extremes, neither prefers the company of the other. One believes that emotional people are too unstable while the other pigeonholes intellectuals as stoic and unfeeling.  In matters of faith, which side has the advantage? Neither.

Faith is birthed outside the mind and outside the heart completely.  Faith is the gift of spiritual sight bestowed by the Spirit of God. Unless God opens the spiritual eyes of unbelievers, their minds and their hearts will not naturally believe. The greatest mind cannot generate faith. Neither can the most genuine of hearts. Why? Because ~ The god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 2 Cor. 4:4   

But once God gives a person spiritual sight, how is their faith fed?  The good news for those who are intellectually bent is that faith is strengthened through Spirit-driven study. There is enough mental stimulation for a lifetime because the vastness of the mind of God has no beginning and no end.

And the good news for those who are emotionally bent is that faith is strengthened through engagement with the heart of God.  There is enough emotional stimulation for a lifetime because of the depth of the heart of God.  His love is beautifully layered and has no beginning and no end.

But here’s the thing ~ every believer is to become balanced with a well-informed mind and a massive heart of devotion.  Choosing to strengthen one over the other leaves a believer impaired.

Lord, my mind is engaged and I want to have a voracious appetite for learning.  My heart is engaged and I pray that it will always beat wildly in worship.  Amen