Setting a Condemning Heart to Rest

“Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God and receive from him anything we ask, because we obey his commands and do what pleases him” (1 John 3:18-22).

There are two expressions in these few sentences, one seemingly disturbing, and the other reassuring. They are “whenever our hearts condemn us” and “if our hearts do not condemn us.”

The second expression is the reassuring one. It is connected with confidence, answered prayer, and obedience. It is wonderful to be in a state where our hearts do not condemn us. However, with some of God’s people, the disturbing expression seems to be true more of the time. They have hearts that condemn them.

There is something else, however, that takes the disturbing and makes it reassuring, and that is the main purpose of the passage:

“Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.”

How do we take a condemning heart and set it at rest in God’s presence? God is greater than our hearts. The heart is not a legitimate condemner or non-condemner. It’s not always correct. God is in the business of setting our hearts at rest in His presence.

Written May 1983.

This post coordinates with tomorrow's reading in the To the Word! Bible Reading Challenge. If you are not in a daily reading plan, please join us at TotheWord.com. We would love to have you reading with us.

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