Mine Eye Affecteth my Heart

Lamentations 3:51, “Mine eye affecteth my heart.”

Nearly every time I had read this verse, it challenged me to make sure to keep my eyes from looking at anything wrong or sinful. Verses would come to mind like Job 31:1 which says, “I made a covenant with mine eyes; why then should I think upon a maid?” and Psalm 101:3 which states, “ I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes:” However, the Lord showed me a different angle this time. It challenged me to not only keep my eyes off of wrong things, but it challenged me to keep my eyes and my sights set on holy and right things.

Keeping one’s eyes on the right things can have a major impact on one’s heart. This was even true with Jesus himself. Matthew 9:36, “But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.”

I want to keep my eyes set on the things of God, so that it will affect my heart for the right. I want to apply Colossians 3:2 which reads, “Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.” Keeping one’s eyes focused on that which is right can be just as important as keeping one’s eyes off of that which is wrong. I want my eyes to be so much on Jesus and the Lord’s work that they have no time to look on that which is wrong.