“Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”

— Psalm 73:25–26 (ESV)

There is a profound mystery in the work of true conversion—a mystery so deep that no earthly gain can satisfy it, and no worldly loss can diminish it. The heart, once dead in sin and narrow in its affections, becomes expanded by the love of Christ. It beats with an eternal rhythm, no longer tethered to the fleeting joys of this passing world. Such a heart, having tasted and seen that the Lord is good (Psalm 34:8), knows with certainty that all the riches of the earth are but dust compared to the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus as Lord (Philippians 3:8).

 

Indeed, “The truly converted heart has been enlarged in such a fashion that if it were to gain the whole world, it would remain empty; and if it were to lose the whole world, that heart would be unaffected.” This statement pierces to the very core of what it means to be a child of God. Let us consider this great truth together—rich with the honey of Scripture, adorned with the wisdom of saints past, and rooted in the unfading Word of God.

1. The Enlarged Heart: A Work of Divine Grace

 

“I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.”

— Ezekiel 36:26 (ESV)

 

Conversion is no mere moral reformation. It is a miracle of resurrection. The heart that once beat only for the world—its applause, riches, and pleasures—is taken and replaced. This is not a heart patched and mended, but a new heart altogether. In Hebrew, the word leb (לֵב) for “heart” often speaks not just of emotions but of the very center of one’s being—will, intellect, and desires.

 

When God enlarges the heart, He stretches it beyond the narrow confines of self. The desires that once reached no further than the boundaries of earthly treasures are now extended toward the eternal. As the psalmist cries, “I will run in the way of your commandments when you enlarge my heart!” (Psalm 119:32). An enlarged heart runs—no longer sluggish, no longer encumbered by the weight of worldly affections.

 

This enlargement is wrought by the Spirit, who sheds abroad the love of God in our hearts (Romans 5:5). The soul, awakened to the infinite worth of Christ, discovers that only the Infinite can fill what God has made vast. Thus, when the world comes knocking with its baubles and glittering promises, the truly converted heart remains unmoved. It has been opened to something greater.

2. The Emptiness of Gaining the World

 

“For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul?”

— Matthew 16:26 (ESV)

 

Consider the tragedy of a man who gains the whole world. Imagine every kingdom at his feet, every treasure in his grasp, every desire met. Yet what is this world? A vapor (James 4:14). Grass that withers, flowers that fade (Isaiah 40:7–8). The glory of nations, like the morning mist, vanishes at the first rays of eternity’s dawn.

 

The heart enlarged by conversion feels the emptiness of these things. They are too small to fill the vast space God has carved out within it. Solomon, the wealthiest and wisest king, tasted every earthly pleasure, yet lamented, “Vanity of vanities, all is vanity” (Ecclesiastes 1:2). Riches, honor, and pleasures of the flesh—these cannot satisfy a heart that has looked into the face of Christ.

 

Christ Himself was offered the kingdoms of the world by the tempter (Matthew 4:8–10), yet He refused them. Why? Because His kingdom is not of this world (John 18:36). The heart in union with Christ will find no lasting delight in the world’s fleeting gains. For such a heart, even the whole world is too small a prize when compared to the treasure hidden in Christ.

3. The Unaffected Heart: Secure in Christ Alone

 

“Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.”

— Colossians 3:2–3 (ESV)

 

What of loss? If the world were stripped away—health failing, riches vanishing, loved ones taken—what then? The unconverted heart clings to these things; their loss is its ruin. But the truly converted heart remains calm, unshaken, unaffected. Why? Because its treasure is untouched. Its life is hidden with Christ.

 

The early church, stripped of possessions, cast into prisons, and given to wild beasts, sang hymns in the night. They had Christ—what more could they lose? The apostle Paul, bound in chains, declared with unwavering joy, “To live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21). His heart had been enlarged. The loss of the world meant nothing, for the world was no longer his portion.

 

This is not stoic resignation; it is the deep satisfaction of the soul in God. The Hebrew word shalom (שָׁלוֹם), often translated as “peace,” carries the idea of wholeness, completeness. The converted heart experiences shalom in Christ, so much so that nothing else can add or take away from its fullness.

4. Christ: The Only Sufficient Portion

 

“God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”

— Psalm 73:26 (ESV)

 

The soul that knows Christ knows satisfaction. The language of heaven is simple yet profound: “The Lord is my portion,” says the soul (Lamentations 3:24). When the Lord Himself is one’s portion, all else is excess. Gain adds nothing; loss takes nothing away.

 

Consider the imagery: a portion is what sustains, nourishes, and delights. Israel longed for the land as their portion, but the Levites were given something far better: “I am your portion and your inheritance” (Numbers 18:20). The truly converted heart understands this priestly privilege. Earthly inheritance pales before the inheritance that is Christ Himself.

5. Living Out the Reality of an Enlarged Heart

 

The question for us remains: How then shall we live, knowing this truth? If we have been given hearts so enlarged, we must live as though Christ is our all. Let the world see that we are not moved by its storms nor intoxicated by its pleasures. Let our lives bear witness that we are strangers and exiles on the earth (Hebrews 11:13).

 

In times of gain, let us not be deceived into thinking our hearts are full because of abundance. In times of loss, let us not despair, for our treasure remains untouched. Whether in plenty or in want, the song of the converted heart remains the same: “Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you” (Psalm 73:25).

Conclusion: The Stillness of a Satisfied Heart

 

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”

— Hebrews 13:8 (ESV)

 

The world shifts, but Christ remains. The affections of the truly converted heart are anchored in the unchanging One. Thus, when the tides of fortune rise or fall, the heart remains still. It is unaffected by loss, for it possesses Christ; it remains empty amidst worldly gain, for none of it compares to the treasure found in Him.

 

Let your soul be still before the Lord. Consider His worth, His beauty, His all-sufficiency. Let the words of the psalmist echo in your heart as the final prayer: “Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days” (Psalm 90:14).

 

For the heart that has been truly converted and enlarged by the love of God needs nothing more, and could settle for nothing less.