Joy Bomb: A 8-Day Devotional by Tauren Wellsಮಾದರಿ

Day 6

What’s Really in Your Heart?

God isn’t impressed by appearances. He’s not looking for the flashiest, the most talented, or the people who seem to have it all together. What matters most to Him? Your heart.

What drives you? What moves you? What do you really believe about God—and yourself?

Take King Saul, for example. He started off strong. The Bible says that when he was chosen to be king, God gave him a new heart (1 Samuel 10:9). The Spirit of God even came upon him, and he started prophesying. That sounds pretty amazing, right? Saul had all the potential in the world. But here’s the thing—having a new heart from God wasn’t enough to keep him on the right path.

Over time, Saul’s heart drifted. He stopped listening to God. He started doing things his way instead of God’s way. And eventually, God said, “I regret that I have made Saul king, because he has turned away from me” (1 Samuel 15:11). That’s heavy. Saul looked like a king on the outside, but on the inside, his heart wasn’t right.

So, God chose someone else. But this time, He wasn’t looking for someone tall or strong or impressive. He told the prophet Samuel:

"People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” —1 Samuel 16:7

And that’s when David entered the picture. He wasn’t perfect, but he was different. God described him as “a man after my own heart” (Acts 13:22). David didn’t just say he wanted to follow God—he actually did it. His heart was aligned with God’s, and that made all the difference.

A Pure Heart Isn’t a Perfect Heart

Let’s be honest: We all have motives and desires that aren’t always pure. We want to follow God, but we also want control. We want to trust Him, but we also want things our way. The question is—are we willing to surrender?

To have a pure heart doesn’t mean we have to be flawless. It means we’re fully committed to following God, doing what He wants, and not just what we want. It’s about surrendering our own agendas and trusting His plan.

Jesus said, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God” (Matthew 5:8). A pure heart brings clarity. When our motives are right, we see God’s hand more clearly in our lives. We hear His voice more easily. We experience His joy more deeply.

Gut-Check Time

Take a second and really think about this:

• Am I truly willing to do everything God wants me to do?
• Is there anything in my life I know God wouldn’t want me to do, but I keep doing it anyway?
• If God looked at my heart right now, would He find someone who is fully surrendered to Him?

This isn’t about pressure or perfection. It’s about trust. It’s about saying, “God, I don’t want to live for myself. I want to live for You. Shape my heart. Align my motives. Make me someone You can trust to do what You ask.”

Devotional Questions:

1. Are there areas in your life where you’ve been doing things your way instead of God’s way? What needs to change?
2. When you think about surrendering your plans to God, do you feel resistance? Why do you think that is?
3. How can you start aligning your heart more with God’s today? What small steps can you take?
4. What do you think it means to be “a person after God’s own heart”? What would that look like in your daily life?
5. What’s one prayer you can pray today to invite God to refine your heart?

God isn’t looking for perfection. He’s looking for hearts that are willing. Hearts that trust Him. Hearts that are ready to say, “Lord, I’m all in.” Is that you? 💛