Your heart is more important than your skills

More important than the work you do and things you build is the condition of your heart. You can solve the most complex problems, build intricate systems, and surpass your peers with your development skills, but if your heart isn't in the right place, you haven't won. What is your heart full of?

A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. What you say flows from what is in your heart.
—Luke 6:45 NLT

What is it that motivates you? Is it recognition? Competition? Money? 

How do you treat people? Do you bark orders, talk down to them, or deep down in your heart think you're better than them?

How has your attitude been lately? Do you find yourself angry, frustrated, or bitter more often than not?

If your heart is not right, no one will care about your skills.

As I've been reading through the Bible, this passage about Solomon stood out to me. 

"In Solomon’s old age, they turned his heart to worship other gods instead of being completely faithful to the lord his God, as his father, David, had been. Solomon worshiped Ashtoreth, the goddess of the Sidonians, and Molech, the detestable god of the Ammonites. In this way, Solomon did what was evil in the lord’s sight; he refused to follow the lord completely, as his father, David, had done.

_The lord was very angry with Solomon, for his heart had turned away from the lord, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice.__"
_—1 Kings 11:4–6,9 NLT

Verse 10 goes on to say that God had given Solomon a specific warning about worshipping other god's and marrying women were not Israelites. Solomon, in all his wisdom, was well aware of what God had told him to not do. God himself had appeared to him—not once, but twice—and granted him his request for wisdom! Despite all of these things, Solomon's heart still turned away from the one person who had given him his talent.

What does this have to do with me?

Chances are you don't worship the goddess Ashtoreth, build shrines to Chemosh, or sacrifice your children to Molech. How does this apply to you here, right now? 

Is there something you’ve been doing that you need to stop?

Is there something that the Lord has been leading you to do that you need start?

Is there some sin in your life that Jesus has been convicting you of, that you've been pushing back and trying to ignore?

One of the things I've been learning over the past few years is that delayed obedience is still disobedience. Ignoring conviction and not listening to what Jesus is leading you to do is a sure way to turn your heart away from the Lord.

At first it might not seem like a big deal, but I can guarantee you that left unchecked, it will affect every single aspect of your life. Your attitudes, the way you view people and the way you view God. 

For years I was in denial about my porn addiction. It affected my attitude toward others, especially those closest to me. I was bitter, jaded, cynical and it showed in my words and actions. But Jesus, in his infinite grace, wouldn't leave me alone. One day I couldn't take it any more—I had to confess my sin. It was difficult. It was messy, and it didn't get better over night. But with that simple act of confession, Jesus began to change my heart.

As I lead, I want my heart to be more focused on Jesus and aware of what he’s leading me to do. I want to follow Jesus completely, because I know that his path and plans are better than anything I would do on my own . The condition of your heart is way more important than the work you do, and I am convinced that if your heart is in the right spot, focused on Jesus, everything else will fall into place.

So let me ask this one more time: 

What is your heart full of?