How Do I Know What Has My Heart?

Pastor Jason

Sep 20

6 min read

Jesus shows us that what we treasure, what we focus on, and what we serve reveal what truly has our heart.

What Has Your Heart?

Jesus has been building something throughout Matthew 6.

Giving touches what we treasure.

Prayer touches our dependence.

Fasting touches our appetites.

And now He brings all of it together with a deeper question:

Who has your heart?

It is possible to say Jesus is first while something else slowly moves into the center.

Money.

Career.

Comfort.

Recreation.

Possessions.

Relationships.

Reputation.

Our own plans.

Many of those things are not bad.

That is what makes this so important.

The danger is not always that something evil takes first place. Sometimes something good takes the place that belongs to God.

The Issue Is Not Whether We Have Things

Jesus says not to store up treasures on earth where they can be destroyed or stolen.

He is not saying money is evil.

He is not saying possessions are evil.

He is not saying it is wrong to save, plan, work hard, or enjoy what God provides.

The issue is not whether we have things.

The issue is whether those things have us.

Earthly treasure has a way of making promises it cannot keep.

It promises security.

But it can disappear.

It promises satisfaction.

But it often leaves us wanting more.

It promises control.

But life has a way of reminding us how little control we actually have.

Treasure and Heart Are Connected

Jesus says:

“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

That is the key.

What we consistently value, pursue, protect, and sacrifice for reveals what truly matters to us.

Where does our money go?

Where does our time go?

What gets the first and best of our attention?

God should govern our finances.

Our schedules.

Our priorities.

Our decisions.

Because what we treasure eventually begins shaping our heart.

Good Things Can Become Idols

Some of the most dangerous idols in our lives are not obviously evil things.

Money can be good.

Career can be good.

Recreation can be good.

Relationships can be good.

Possessions can be good.

But a good thing becomes an idol when it takes the place that belongs to God.

That means we sometimes need to ask:

“Lord, if You looked at my calendar, my spending, my attention, and my habits, would they tell the same story I tell about what matters most to me?”

Set Your Heart Intentionally

Scripture tells us to set our hearts and minds on things above.

That word set matters.

It implies intention.

Choice.

Action.

Direction.

We do not accidentally keep Jesus at the center of our lives.

We choose to set our hearts on Him.

If we do not choose where our attention goes, something else will eventually choose for us.

What Has Your Attention?

Jesus then begins talking about the eye being the lamp of the body.

At first, that may sound like a new subject.

But it is connected.

Treasure reveals the heart.

Focus shapes direction.

What we continually place before our eyes has a way of shaping our desires.

And our desires have a way of shaping where we go.

Where You Look Affects Where You Go

Think about driving.

If you stare at the ditch long enough, you begin drifting toward it.

The same can happen spiritually.

People rarely wake up one morning and decide:

“Today I am going to drift away from God.”

Usually it happens slowly.

We get distracted.

Something begins capturing our attention.

Then our thoughts.

Then our desires.

And eventually our direction.

Where your eyes stay fixed will eventually influence where your feet go.

Not Every Open Door Is God’s Door

Sometimes the thing capturing our attention is not obviously sinful.

It may look good.

Profitable.

Exciting.

Convenient.

But not every opportunity is automatically God’s will.

Spiritual maturity learns to slow down.

Pray.

Seek wisdom.

Test things by Scripture.

Wait for God’s direction.

Maturity is not simply knowing what we are allowed to do.

It is learning to discern what God is actually asking us to do.

Who Is Your Master?

Jesus eventually brings the issue to an unavoidable statement:

“No one can serve two masters.”

He does not say it will simply be difficult.

He says it cannot be done.

This is about allegiance.

Choice.

Devotion.

We only get one throne.

The question is not:

“Which master is stronger?”

The question is:

“Which master have I chosen to serve?”

Money Makes a Terrible Master

Jesus specifically says:

“You cannot serve both God and money.”

Money itself is not evil.

But money makes a terrible master.

The same is true of career.

Comfort.

Reputation.

Relationships.

Possessions.

Recreation.

Control.

Our plans.

These things can be blessings when they stay in their proper place.

But when they begin governing our decisions, commanding our loyalty, or receiving the trust that belongs to God, something has shifted.

How Do I Know If Something Has Become a Master?

Here are some questions worth asking honestly:

What gets the first and best of my time?

What do I fear losing most?

What do I think about constantly?

What do I spend most freely on?

What do I sacrifice for without hesitation?

What do I defend when God begins challenging it?

What consistently pushes worship, prayer, church, giving, or obedience to the margins?

Those questions may tell us more about what has our heart than our words do.

God May See Our Lives Differently Than We Do

We may look at our schedule and say:

“I’m just busy.”

God may be showing us:

“You have no room left for Me.”

We may look at our spending and say:

“I’m just enjoying what I’ve worked for.”

God may be showing us:

“Your money has more of your heart than you realize.”

We may look at a hobby, career, relationship, or goal and say:

“There is nothing wrong with this.”

And there may be nothing wrong with it in itself.

But it still may have moved into a place that belongs to God.

Jesus Is Not Trying to Shame Us

When Jesus exposes what has our heart, the purpose is not condemnation.

It is invitation.

If the Holy Spirit puts His finger on something, He is helping us see clearly.

God is not exposing what is out of order because He hates us.

He wants our heart.

And every false master eventually wears us out.

False Masters Cannot Keep Their Promises

Money says:

“Give me more and maybe you will finally feel secure.”

Success says:

“Keep proving yourself.”

Reputation says:

“Make sure everyone approves of you.”

Comfort says:

“Never let anything disrupt you.”

Control says:

“If you can manage everything well enough, then maybe you will finally have peace.”

But none of those masters can actually give what they promise.

Spiritual Maturity Is Deeper Dependence

Following Jesus does not mean we stop working.

Planning.

Serving.

Giving.

Taking responsibility.

We still have a part to play.

But Jesus is calling us to stop living as though everything depends on us alone.

Spiritual maturity is not becoming more independent from God.

It is learning to depend on Him more deeply.

Jesus Offers What the World Cannot

Jesus offers peace.

Rest.

Forgiveness.

Security in Him.

A Kingdom that does not rust.

Decay.

Disappear.

Or get stolen.

That is why this passage is more than a warning.

It is an invitation.

Why settle for temporary things as masters when Jesus offers what is eternal?

You Only Get One Throne

Maybe something good has slowly moved into the wrong place.

Maybe it is money.

Career.

Comfort.

Recreation.

Possessions.

A relationship.

Reputation.

Control.

Or your own plans.

You do not have to defend it.

You do not have to pretend it is not there.

You can surrender it.

You can say:

“Jesus, You are first.”

“My money is Yours.”

“My schedule is Yours.”

“My plans are Yours.”

“My relationships are Yours.”

“My future is Yours.”

“I do not want anything good to become my god.”