Disorders of the Heart

- Sermon -

In describing the state of the inner man, the scriptures commonly use the word heart. This word occurs over a thousand times in the scriptures, almost always as a figurative expression.    Heart is often used to identify the extent to which one is receptive to the message of the gospel. Nephi said, "The Lord . . . did visit me, and did soften my heart that I did believe" (1 Nephi 2:16). A later prophet also named Nephi described his preaching to a people who "did harden their hearts and did not hearken unto the words of the Lord" (Helaman 10:13)     

Heart is sometimes used as a synonym for mind. Speaking of the multitude who heard the risen Lord on this continent, the Book of Mormon says, "neither can the hearts of men conceive so great and marvelous things as we both saw and heard Jesus speak" (3 Nephi 17:17). "Their hearts were open and they did understand in their hearts the words which he prayed" (3 Nephi 19:33).     

Heart is also used in contrast to mind, with mind apparently connoting the powers of reasoning (the intellectual) and heart connoting the powers of intuition (the spiritual), or emotion and feeling. President Harold B. Lee used those two words in this contrasting sense when he said: "When we understand more than we know with our minds, when we understand with our hearts, then we know that the Spirit of the Lord is working upon us" (Harold B. Lee, Stand Ye in Holy Places [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1974] 92).     

Similarly, the Lord described the house of Israel as having "hardness of heart, and blindness of mind" (Ether 4:15). And at the beginning of his sermon, King Benjamin challenged his people: "Open your ears that ye may hear, and your hearts that ye may understand, and your minds that the mysteries of God may be unfolded to your view" (Mosiah 2:9).     

Heart can also refer to motives, desires, and attitudes.   “In the language of the scriptures, the word heart is a powerful figurative expression, rich in meaning. It is the primary instrument used to teach us that, from the perspective of eternity and in terms of God's commandments, the hidden thoughts of our minds are just as important as the observed actions of our bodies.”   (Dallin H. Oaks, Pure in Heart, Preface)

Because of its importance, the heart is often the target of the adversary. Five “disorders” fostered by him are noted.

1. Disorder: Hard Heart

Description:   Like clay left to harden then fired and glazed, the heart can become hardened, unmoldable, unchangeable, past feeling. The only chance for change at that point is for the heart to be broken -- melted by the refiner’s fire and then remolded and cooled.

Effect: Uncaring, unfeeling, unreachable, numb, like being in an emotional coma

Scriptural Examples:           

1. Laman & Lemuel: 1 Nephi 17:41-42, “And he did straiten them in the wilderness with his rod; for they hardened their hearts, even as ye have; and the Lord straitened them because of their iniquity. He sent fiery flying serpents among them; and after they were bitten he prepared a way that they might be healed; and the labor which they had to perform was to look; and because of the simpleness of the way, or the easiness of it, there were many who perished.  42 And they did harden their hearts from time to time, and they did revile against Moses, and also against God; nevertheless, ye know that they were led forth by his matchless power into the land of promise.”

2. Nephites prior to Nephi’s death: 2 Nephi 33:1-2 “And now I, Nephi, cannot write all the things which were taught among my people; neither am I mighty in writing, like unto speaking; for when a man speaketh by the power of the Holy Ghost the power of the Holy Ghost carrieth it unto the hearts of the children of men. 2 But behold, there are many that harden their hearts against the Holy Spirit, that it hath no place in them; wherefore, they cast many things away which are written and esteem them as things of naught.”

3. Pre-converted Amulek:  Alma 10:6  “Nevertheless, I did harden my heart, for I was called many times and I would not hear; therefore I knew concerning these things, yet I would not know; therefore I went on rebelling against God, in the wickedness of my heart,

2. Disorder: Blind Heart

Description:   The person is not capabable of sensing accurately the true environment. It is a world of illusion rather than reality. Like seeing the world thru a dirty window, one is blinded to the true light.

Effect: Lost, depressed, insecure, unstable, disoriented.

Scriptural Examples:           

1. The Ephesians:Ephesians  4:17-19  17 “This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, 18 Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: 19 Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.”

2. Korihor (Knew the truth but blinded by Satan), Alma 30:52-53 52 “ And Korihor put forth his hand and wrote, saying: I know that I am dumb, for I cannot speak; and I know that nothing save it were the power of God could bring this upon me; yea, and I always knew that there was a God.  53 But behold, the devil hath deceived me; for he appeared unto me in the form of an angel, and said unto me: Go and reclaim this people, for they have all gone astray after an unknown God. And he said unto me: There is no God; yea, and he taught me that which I should say. And I have taught his words; and I taught them because they were pleasing unto the carnal mind; and I taught them, even until I had much success, insomuch that I verily believed that they were true; and for this cause I withstood the truth, even until I have brought this great curse upon me.”

3. Disorder: Distant Heart

Description:   The removal of self from righteous influences or truth

Effect: Estrangement, arrogant, victimized, persecute

Scriptural Examples:

1.     People of the Latter days: Isaiah 29:13 “Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men:”

2. Any who distance themselves from the powers of heaven: D&C 121:35-38 35 “Because their hearts are set so much upon the things of this world, and aspire to the honors of men, that they do not learn this one lesson— 36 That the rights of the priesthood are inseparably connected with the powers of heaven, and that the powers of heaven cannot be controlled nor handled only upon the principles of righteousness.  37 That they may be conferred upon us, it is true; but when we undertake to cover our sins, or to gratify our pride, our vain ambition, or to exercise control or dominion or compulsion upon the souls of the children of men, in any degree of unrighteousness, behold, the heavens withdraw themselves; the Spirit of the Lord is grieved; and when it is withdrawn, Amen to the priesthood or the authority of that man.  38 Behold, ere he is aware, he is left unto himself, to kick against the pricks, to persecute the saints, and to fight against God.”

4. Disorder: Congested Heart: 

Description:   The person becomes controlled by pride, malice, anger, stubbornness. These infections cause the heart to become misshapen, “swollen or puffed-up”

Effect: Obsessive, compulsive, hysterical, temperamental, out of control (emotional rollercoaster)

Scriptural Examples:

1.     King Noah 2 Nephi 28:9,15,20  “Yea, and there shall be many which shall teach after this manner, false and vain and foolish doctrines, and shall be puffed up in their hearts, and shall seek deep to hide their counsels from the Lord; and their works shall be in the dark….15. O the wise, and the learned, and the rich, that are puffed up in the pride of their hearts, and all those who preach false doctrines, and all those who commit whoredoms, and pervert the right way of the Lord, wo, wo, wo be unto them, saith the Lord God Almighty, for they shall be thrust down to hell…. 20. For behold, at that day shall he rage in the hearts of the children of men, and stir them up to anger against that which is good.”

2.     Warning to us in our day: D&C 42:40 “And again, thou shalt not be proud in thy heart; let all thy garments be plain, and their beauty the beauty of the work of thine own hands;”

5. Disorder: Fearful Heart

Description:   Like being frozen in ice or trapped in the jaws of a powerful vise

Effect: One becomes incapacitated, unable to move or perform, or one attempts to run and hide.

Scriptural Examples:

1.     Jonah: Jonah 2:2-3,7  “And said, I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the Lord, and he heard me; out of the belly of hell cried I, and thou heardest my voice.  3 For thou hadst cast me into the deep, in the midst of the seas; and the floods compassed me about: all thy billows and thy waves passed over me….7. When my soul fainted within me I remembered the Lord.”

2.     People of our day: Luke 21:25-26 “And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; 26 Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.

3.     First Elders of this dispensation: D&C 67:3  “Ye endeavored to believe that ye should receive the blessing which was offered unto you; but behold, verily I say unto you there were fears in your hearts, and verily this is the reason that ye did not receive.”

4.     Peter: Matthew 14:28-31 “And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. 29 And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. 31 And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?”

As we serve the Lord from day to day, may we do so as those of whom it was spoken, Helaman 3:35 “… . Nevertheless they did fast and pray oft, and did wax stronger and stronger in their humility, and firmer and firmer in the faith of Christ, unto the filling their souls with joy and consolation, yea, even to the purifying and the sanctification of their hearts, which sanctification cometh because of their yielding their hearts unto God. 

- Larry Doyle Crenshaw -