I’m writing today as a contributor to the Christian Writers Blog Chain. Our theme for this month is Coming Home. Christianwriters.com is an excellent place to network if you’re a Christian writer or author.
I wanted to share with you today my thoughts on the link between the Heart, Mind and Soul.
I used to think of the Heart, Mind and Soul as three separate components of our existence:
Heart is feeling… the place of our experiences and passions.
Mind is thinking… the place of our knowledge and wisdom.
Soul is identity… our very essence and that which defines our eternal presence… the part of us that moves from this life into the next… the soul is what we take with, or what takes us to God.
The Bible links the three together in The First and Greatest Commandment…Â Jesus said: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” Matthew 22:37
So, indeed, the link starts with Love (because that’s what God is, right?)…
and, then, it seems the link is God.
and the verse says we should Love Him with everything we’ve got…
all of our heart…
all of our mind…
and all of our soul.
While I think of the Heart, Mind and Soul as the key components of our existence…
I think it’s what we learn through and in this life that is most relevant to the next…
and we learn through our experiences of the heart and mind…
and carry these with us through our soul to some application in the next.
We’re here in this life for just a short while, in comparison to eternity, but we have much to learn as we strive to advance our growing relationship with Jesus.
Deep deep down in our existence lie many things… our past… present… and our future hopes and dreams.
some of this stuff we share readily… and some of it we would rather lose… forget… let go… and so on…
Like most people, I have memories that I savor… some that I can call experience… and some that I have to keep in perspective.
Do you feel lost in the woods or are you trying to find your way? What is your passion, or the emphasis of your mental focus?
There are some days when I can be at perfect peace even when the world around me seems very chaotic, and others where I feel unsettled for no apparent reason.
Why?
Not really sure sometimes, but it seems to have a lot to do with this experience of being here and the development of our character…
it seems to have a lot to do with faith…
it seems to have a lot to do with trust…
and knowing that we are perfected by the Holy Spirit and His presence in us.
The connection, or link, and coming home…
it’s all about what we bring with us…
can we look back at this life and say that it’s filled with Fruit ?
What will you bring when you come home to Him?
Christian Writers Blog Chain
Excellent post, Chris – a lot to chew on here. I just pray that I bring more gold, silver and jewels home than wood, hay and stubble. 🙂
good one Traci… yea, I want to end up living on the same block with Jesus when I get there too 🙂
Chris – this might be your best post yet and you know that I love following your posts! I agree that it’s God and His love that bind our hearts, minds and souls to Him. Good thoughts!
thank you Carol, I really appreciate your encouragement and thoughtful comments!
“The Bible links the three together in The First and Greatest Commandment… Jesus said: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.†Matthew 22:37”
I never thought of it that way. =) Thanks.
I never thought of it that way either… but that is what He gave me when I was finishing this one up… very cool how that worked out!! Thank you Nona 🙂
Heart, mind, and soul are inseparable components of man’s trinity, just as God is a Trinity of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Our whole being must worship His Whole Being, or our worship will not be complete.
Great post.
~ VT
good thought, man’s trinity! Thank you Victor
Oh! I liked this one a lot! Something different and unique yet still on topic. And I loved the graphic – the way the chains also formed a triangle was a great visual of the concept. thanks
the chains go with the “blog chain” too 🙂
Very nice. I like how you tied the the heart, mind and soul in with this month’s theme of home.
Thank you Dave, I appreciate it!!
Great post, Chris. As you say there are many forms and types of experiences that we learn from. More and more I relate to Psalm passage that implores God to forgive the sins of my youth.
Peace and Blessings
Thanks Edward!
great post
biiiiig hug
JayBee
Like a meaty stew, there was a lot to chew on in that post, Chris.
The trinity concept got explored really thoroughly in the ‘Truth Project’, if you’ve ever heard of it. Our church put on their video series, it’s a very good one.
I’d never really tied that verse in with the concept of man’s trinity, though they discussed the concept in the series I mentioned. Thanks for the extra perspective.
thank you Chris for your sharing here!
Good thoughts! Love the graphic. Very cool picture. And I love your thoughts that go along with it.
Thanks for sharing.
Thank you Sheila 🙂
What will I bring with me? Probably a whole lotta junk I don’t need and won’t want once I get there anyway. But I guess that’s just another area where we learn by doing, right. . . ?
Another great post, Chris.
🙂
Oh, Chris! I so apologize. I am so behind…more so than usual! I’ve been attending numerous online seminars and all my writing and being sick…anyway…I’m trying to catch up. I loved this post. Such insight. I, too, had never thought about love linking the three together in that verse. Excellent, Chris!
Hey Lynn! I really appreciate you stopping by, I’ve been overwhelmed the past few weeks as well. Very excited to see what is materializing this month of “harvest” !! Be Great!!