How to warm a cold heart

[nwink]

A sin we can all deal with is to study a lot but yet have a cold/lukewarm heart. I found this section recently in Owen that is good food for thought in light of how to meditate more on Christ and his love each day: "Do not be content to have right ideas of the love of Christ in your mind unless you have a gracious taste of it in your heart. You may taste that the Lord is gracious, that is, you may experience for yourself his grace in your heart. If you do not actually experience the love of Christ in your heart, you will not retain the idea of it in your mind."

How can we have a greater love for Christ? How can we go beyond right ideas of the love of Christ in our minds to also having a gracious taste of it in our hearts?

 

[Wayne]

For one, learn to watch the Lord's daily providences in your life. Keep a prayer journal, pray aggressively, watch and then make note of how He answers those prayers.
There is a deacon at Covenant Presbyterian Church (PCA) here who has a shelf full of such journals.

For more along these lines, read John Flavel's famous work, The Mystery of Providence, available as a Banner of Truth paperback.

 

[Miss Marple]

It seems to me that if someone is despairing over a cold or lukewarm heart it is actually evidence that their heart is not particularly cold.

 

[chuckd]

It seems to me that if someone is despairing over a cold or lukewarm heart it is actually evidence that their heart is not particularly cold.

I'm not sure. Even given the Owen quote, I can know that my heart is cold, know I am in a bad condition, and still yet be cold. I have personally experienced this many times. Of course, I wouldn't use the word "despair" since this does indicate that my heart is still somewhat warm. It's more of a knowledge that my heart is cold and don't know how to get back to the state of peace with God.