Proverbs 21:2-3 Amplified Bible (AMP) Every man's way is right in his own eyes, But the LORD weighs and examines the hearts [of people and their motives]. To do righteousness and justice Is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice [for wrongs repeatedly committed].
Bible Gateway Proverbs 21 :: NIV. The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD; he directs it like a watercourse wherever he pleases. All a man's ways seem right to him, but the LORD weighs the heart.
"Weighs the hearts" refers to God's ability to know our thoughts and intents. We can deceive ourselves and think that every decision we make is justified and right. We aren't bad; we are simply imperfect. God knows exactly why we make the decisions that we make.
In Paul's letter to the Romans, Paul notes that God searches our hearts to see how the Holy Spirit has been moving in us. Like the Pharisees, we test God, but God also tests us. God searches our hearts, our souls, and minds.
God's Word says, “God does not see man as man sees him. For man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” The heart speaks of a person's character, courage and spirit. So often when we measure the worth of a person we just look at the outward appearance, but God looks at the inside.
The LORD doesn't see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” The measure of a man is determined by his Christlikeness.
In the Bible the heart is considered the seat of life or strength. Hence, it means mind, soul, spirit, or one's entire emotional nature and understanding.
God tests our hearts. He wants to know, to find out, to see for Himself, through the circumstances that He creates or allows to occur, what our reaction will be. He does not assume; He does not presume that He already knows. God tests, and He is watching. This is why He can be a witness.
The Bible far more regularly speaks of God's Spirit living in the hearts of believers, such as in Romans 5:5 where it states that “God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.”
Biblical Translations of Proverbs 12:25
Anxiety weighs down the heart, but a kind word cheers it up. Worry weighs a person down; an encouraging word cheers a person up. Anxiety in a man's heart weighs him down, but a good word makes him glad.
“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” The Good News: Though you may feel defeated, God is closer than you realize. He is always with you and can heal your heart.
God is indeed greater than our heart, and He knows everything, including the sins of which we remain unaware. Nevertheless, He still promises to receive us based not on our own goodness but on the righteousness of Christ imputed to us when we were born again.
"People look at the outward appearance, but God looks at the heart." - 1 Samuel 16:7.
In a sad or miserable state, unhappily, as in He left her with a heavy heart, wondering if she would ever recover. The adjective heavy has been used in the sense of “weighed down wit grief or sadness” since about 1300. Its antonym light dates from the same period.
1 Samuel 16:7 New American Standard Bible - NASB 1995 (NASB1995) But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”
Take, for example, Romans 10:9-10—“if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.”
For God to begin His healing work on your heart, you have to surrender all to Him. Accept that you have no power to fix your heart yourself, and you need His help. Submitting all in faith puts you in a position for the healing power of God to start working in your life.
The Bible says, “When tempted, no one should say, 'God is tempting me. ' For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone” (James 1:13). But it is true that God tests us — that is, He allows us to get into situations where we must make a choice between right and wrong.
Likewise, God ordains tests for us, not for his sake, but for ours. He ordains tests today just as he did in the Old Testament with the testing of his people, and in the New Testament with the testing of the disciples. From those who have gone before us, we find several reasons for tests in Scripture.
Being tested is a natural part of being human. So it is no surprise that being tested is also a biblical design pattern. Characters in the Bible experience tests throughout the entire story to see if they can live up to God's intended purpose for humanity.
We Do Need God to Change Our Hearts
And this means that we need God to change our hearts if we hope to live changed lives. The psalmist understood this perfectly well: “Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me!” (Ps. 51:10).
The Spiritual Heart
It's our connection with the Divine and is like an inner sun, that shines forth Divine Light into all areas of our lives. The spiritual heart is always awake, always ready to light our path to enlightenment.
What kind of heart is God looking for? Deuteronomy 10:16 says “God needs a circumcised heart”. We must therefore open our hearts to God by removing all reservations, coverings, secrets and unbelief. Only when we circumcise our hearts, can we be obedient and walk in the ways of the Lord.