The walk of faith involves “kavanah” (כַּוָנָה), or focus; we are to “press on” (διώκω) to hear the upward call of God (Phil. 3:14). The problem for many of us is that we are distracted by other things, rendered indecisive, and therefore we hesitate to draw near to the Lord… A divided heart is at war within itself, “two-souled” (δίψυχος) and unstable in all its ways (James 1:8).
If “purity of heart is to will one thing,” then impurity of heart is the result of simultaneously willing two things… It is therefore a state of inner contradiction, of having two separate “minds” or “wills” that hold contrary thoughts or desires. Yeshua said that “a divided house cannot stand.” May it please God to heal us of such ambivalence by making our hearts whole, resolute, steadfast, full of conviction, and entirely awake to the glory of His Presence at our right hand (Psalm 16:8).
The LORD is always near; he is not far from each one of us. “Draw near to God (ἐγγίσατε τῷ Θεῷ) and he will draw near to you; purify your hearts, you double-minded” (James 4:8). As it is written: “The LORD is near to all who call on Him, to all who call on Him in truth” (Psalm 145:18). May we be set free from lesser fears that divide the heart and rob the soul of shalom shelemah, God’s perfect peace… Amen.
