Clean heart clear mind. Read on to discover how spiritual disciplines lead to a winning relationship with God!
I was a huge fan of Friday Night Lights. If you watched that TV series, the phrase “Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose” will sound familiar. It’s the chant, the rallying cry of the Dillon Panthers football team.
Every time players run onto the field, they shout this. The words help them stay focused and keep their heads in the game.
I thought of that while watching an interview with Charles Stanley. It was part of the webinar “Preach Better Sermons” from Preaching Rocket. Someone asked what the most important thing was in preaching. Time and again, Stanley emphasized that your relationship with God matters more than anything. Your spiritual discipline matters most.
When asked what that looks like, Stanley said (1):
- Clean heart
- Clear mind
- Balanced life
- Healthy body
- Right relationships
- Courage to be obedient to God
The first two struck me most: Clean heart clear mind.
Clean Heart Clear Mind as Spiritual Disciplines
1. Clean heart
A clean heart means a heart free of sin. It doesn’t mean sinning disqualifies us from preaching or from doing ministry. Instead, it means we need to deal with our sins. A clean heart surrenders fully to God. No hidden corners of darkness or sin exist anymore. It’s the result of David’s daily prayer: “Create in me a clean heart and renew the right Spirit within me.”
2. Clear mind
A clear mind focuses totally on God and seeks His will alone. I love Isaiah 26:3:
You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed in You, because he trusts in You.
Focusing on God like that brings an incredible peace to our life. I’ve definitely found this to be true. Focusing on God brings about an unrivaled clarity to your actions and a deep contentment from knowing you’re doing the right thing. It’s been a constant struggle though, with so many things trying to distract me from Him.
