What is the benefit of being pure in heart?

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God!” Matthew 5:8. To be pure is to overcome all conscious sin that you are tempted to so that you can stand before God’s face with a clear conscience.

We live in a time when purity is not something people think of or talk about.  It is more common to hear more on the subject of “living your dream life,” “getting the most out of life with the least amount of work,” and “doing what feels good.” Whether it’s sin or not doesn’t enter the equation, as long as it feels right to my soul. Not much is said about how to serve God, become free from sin, and live in purity.

Pursuing your dream life is often an excuse used to live with yourself as the main focus in all you do, and for giving in to every low and filthy thing that rules the world today. While this may sound extreme to some, the truth is that this is a tendency that’s close to all of us regardless of age or gender. And while it may not manifest itself as obvious sin, we can find it in many other ways deep inside our heart. There is much laziness, ingratitude and wanting what we don’t have. Many what-ifs, if-onlys, and wishing for more pleasure and less responsibility. That is why so many people are dissatisfied with life and think that if only they could live their own version of an ideal life, they would be happy. Impurity is masked in this way and presented as “good.” The whole world is seeking purpose, but in the wrong things.

Purity needs to be great in our eyes!

Proverbs 12:5

“The thoughts of the righteous are right, but the councils of the wicked are deceitful.”

Keeping yourself pure involves keeping your thoughts and heart to that which you know to be good and right. It involves checking your actions and making sure they are of the right motive. But purity is also one more thing; it is keeping in check what sort of feelings you allow to rule your day.  There is a trend to live by what feels “right to me.” Keeping yourself pure is choosing to think, say and do the right thing regardless of what you feel like.

Let me illustrate

My alarm rings and I have to get out of my warm cozy bed … again. I get up grumpy, cursing the day ahead because I know it holds nothing but work and more work and I just want time for me. I let these feelings brew inside of me and by the end of the day I hate my life. If only I could just do what I actually want to do! If only my life was different.

Or picture the opposite

My alarm rings and I have to get out of my warm cozy bed … again. I feel nothing but grumpy, and sense immediately that I am tempted to stomp around and could easily curse this day that holds nothing but work and doing things for other people. But instead I choose to thank God for another day that I get to be alive and for the ability to do what I need to do. I go to work happily as a result, and while the day is the same as it always is, my inner self is light and free. Through the grace of God, I keep myself pure from these heavy and unthankful feelings!

Thoughts and feelings intertwine, and it is often hard to make sense of which is which. But think of the freedom you can have when you keep yourself pure from the ones that drag you down!

Impurity is an attack on your relationship with God. Keeping yourself pure is showing God that you love Him and are thankful for how He has made it for you in this moment. Keeping yourself pure is not allowing yourself to be sucked into the lack of good morals prevalent today.

Keeping yourself pure is a choice that you make, and there are so many benefits! And once you begin to experience the benefits, you will want to experience more! Keep yourself pure long enough, and you won’t want to go back to what you had before.

We could sum up the benefits of keeping yourself pure in in one word, really: Joy! But let’s break it down so we can understand it more clearly.

What are the benefits of keeping yourself pure?

A good conscience!

You will no longer feel guilt and worry about what choices you make and what path your life is taking.

A sense of clear direction!

You will experience a clear direction and purpose in your life, and no day is a waste regardless of what is going on around you in your day-to-day life. Sin clouds your vision, but when you are pure God is able to direct your paths as He intends.

You will be untouchable!

The direction the world is taking has no impact on your thoughts, feelings and actions. Bad morals can’t touch you because you are keeping yourself pure! You can “fly like an eagle” above all of these things, because your kingdom is not of this world. (Isaiah 40:31; John 18:36)

No despondency and bad days!

Fighting against thoughts and feelings that drag you down can turn the bad days into the best days! These are days you can use as an opportunity to be purified and become free from sin. You never have to experience having a “bad day” again!

Satisfaction! Fulfillment and happiness!

You no longer have to have that perfect dream life! You are able to find satisfaction, fulfillment and happiness in the life you have right now because you are pure from demands, ingratitude, and unrest!

Eternal life!

Keep your thoughts and motives pure in all you do, and you will have the best spiritual insurance policy for your eternal life! There is nothing like knowing that if Jesus were to return right now, He would find you pure! There would be nothing in the way between you and your Maker!

“Blessed are the pure in heart for they will see God.” Matthew 5:8. It is a glorious promise. Keeping yourself pure is worthwhile for a good life on earth, and will benefit you for all eternity.