Is Jesus Truly Living in Your Heart?

By Marsha Brickhouse Smith
Guest Columnist

CBN.com -- It had been a long day and I was ever so tired. I decided to take a long walk by the calm river. The wind was blowing gently through the tall oaks. It was a beautiful golden autumn day. And yet, I felt so alone. So much had happened in my life and I was so confused.

I started to talk to the One who knew my deepest thoughts. The One who loved me unconditionally. The One who created me -- My Lord Jesus.

"Lord, I asked you to live in my heart, but there are times it feels so empty. Are you really here? Lately, as I've prayed, it seems the prayers go no higher than the ceiling."

"Well, my precious child," He responded to my heart, "I was waiting for you to ask. There are reasons for the times when you heart feels so empty. You see, when I try to occupy that space in your heart -- that room that I need to go into -- I try the door, but find it locked. I love you so much that I gave you the keys to all the rooms. And there are those doors I cannot walk through because they are locked. You asked me to be Lord of all, but when I try to enter those rooms, the doors will not budge."

"I know you gave me your heart, but you put a "do not enter" sign on those special rooms. Thus, without my Spirit inside, those rooms feel empty and very cold."

"But, Father," I replied, "those rooms are filled with hurt, confusion and sorrow. They are the only rooms that I have not opened. It will hurt too much. Can't we leave them closed?"

"No, my child. For me to be the Lord of your life, I have to live in your heart. All of it. We need to open the room up that says, 'Unforgiveness' and then you must forgive. Truly forgive and forget."

"Then we need to go into the one that says, 'Sorrow' and let me fill it with my comfort and love. Then we need to go into the one that says, 'Your Past' and let me cover it with my blood. I will then take what is in those rooms away and fill them with my love, my compassion and my forgiveness. I will remove the hurt, clean out the wounds and then you will find precious treasure hidden there."

"I was born in a manger because there was no room in the Inn. That thought made you so sad when you were a child to think there was no room for me. But you see, as long as you won't allow me to go into those rooms, you are doing the same thing. You are, in fact, saying there is no room. Ask me to go into those rooms and there will be room in your heart for all I want to do in your life."

For years, I had kept these rooms from him. I would not let Him in. How could I have thought I had made Him Lord of my life when I had not truly given Him ALL of my heart?

I knelt beside the river and asked Jesus to go into those rooms -- and He did. And He will for you too. Let Him have your whole heart. Not just a part, but all of it, and you will be forever gloriously changed.