Where We Store Our Treasures
In Matthew 6:19–21 (NLT), Jesus teaches us to discern the condition of the soul’s heart by looking at what it treasures. He says, “Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.” These verses come from His Sermon on the Mount, spoken to a great multitude that followed Him. And just as it did two thousand years ago, His teaching still challenges us today to examine the kind of treasures we are storing—and more importantly, where we are storing them.
Where Your Treasure Is, Your Heart Follows
When Jesus talks about storing up treasures, He starts with the ones here on earth. Treasures aren’t just the possessions we own—they’re also the emotional weight and value we place on those things. To “lay up” treasure is to guard and protect it like it’s the most important thing we’ve got. But Jesus warns us not to get caught up in treating earthly things like they’re the ultimate prize, because everything here is temporary and fragile. Instead, He points us to treasures that will last forever—eternal ones in heaven. The hard truth, though, is that many of us still chase material gain more than spiritual riches. And wherever our treasure goes, our hearts will follow—too often running after the wrong things.
God said in Jeremiah 17:10(NLT), “But I, the LORD, search all hearts and examine secret motives. I give all people their due rewards, according to what their actions deserve.” Our Heavenly Father searches all hearts, fully aware of what we treasure at any given moment, and He discerns whether our ultimate treasure is Him or something else. We may deceive ourselves about the true contents of our hearts, but God cannot be fooled. That is why the psalmist prayed in Psalm 139:23–24 (NLT), “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. 24 Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.” This must be our prayer as well.
Often, we find ourselves harboring pain in our hearts because we prioritized something earthly over our relationship with our Heavenly Father. As a result, our hearts may have been broken, leading us down a path of despair. In these moments of confusion and hurt, we may feel lost and unsure of how to navigate our emotions. However, while we may not understand the internal pathways to our pain, the Holy Spirit does.
Submitting Our Hearts to the Spirit
In John 16:13 (NLT), Jesus promises, “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth.” This is the answer to our confusion. We cannot heal or redirect our hearts by sheer willpower—we need the Spirit of God. He leads us into the truth of God’s Word and teaches us to see clearly. Surrendering to His leadership is not optional; it is both our privilege and our responsibility as children of God.
We can’t trust our own hearts to lead us—they are too easily swayed by emotions, desires, and circumstances. Proverbs 28:26 (NLT) warns, “Those who trust their own insight are foolish, but anyone who walks in wisdom is safe.” That’s why we must entrust our hearts fully to the Holy Spirit’s leadership. He alone can align our desires with God’s will and keep us on the everlasting path. Our greatest treasure is not found in possessions, success, or relationships—it is found in knowing God and walking closely with Him. When He becomes the treasure of our hearts, everything else finds its rightful place, and we discover the peace and joy that cannot be stolen.
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.
“Lord Search My Heart”, written for Springfield Fellowship ©2025. All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord!