To dwell, to live or stay as a permanent resident, to rest or inhabit. According to Colossians 3:16 the word dwell in this verse means to make oneself at home. Paul doesn’t just want us to hear The Word but to give The Word access to every part of ourselves.
 
When we invite guest into our home, we often say to them “have a seat and make yourself at home.”  LOL….Do we really mean those words? If we are honest with ourselves the answer is no not 100% literally. When we say “make yourself at home” what we really mean is you are limited to a specific room or two and maybe some food. “Make yourself at home” does not give your guest free range to go into your bedroom, look in your closest, and open drawers to examine personal papers.
 
If Christ is going to be The Lord of our lives, we can’t say to Him “make yourself at home” with the unspoken intent of putting restrictions on Him. If we want The Lord to dwell in our home{hearts}, we not only need to say, “Lord make yourself completely at home “but also allow The Lord to check closets and go into “restricted” areas to spot things that need to be thrown out or rearranged.

Now, when we remove the restrictions of allowing The Lord to make Himself at home in our hearts, there will be some painful “redecorating” decisions that will need to be made. Just like when we clean our physical dwelling, we often encounter “stuff” where a decision needs to be made as to keep it or not. God’s Word will also illuminate “stuff” in our life where a decision needs to be made as to keep it or not. Making a determination to part ways with our “stuff” can be difficult and painful. But once you’ve made the decision to let it go you realize how much freer you are. The same happens when God dwells in our hearts, the redecorating and illumination of “stuff” may be difficult and painful initially yet the end result is God sometimes allows hurt in order to heal us.

Allowing The Word to dwell in you means coming before God with honesty and openness and ready to act on whatever He reveals to you. We must also be intentional in coming before God with the attitude of teachablity and worship with a heart that is full of thanksgiving.
The “attitude of gratitude” is critical. When you allow God to dwell in your heart never forget to thank Him for what He has already done.
 
PEARLStoPONDER: Is Jesus allowed to dwell only in restricted areas?

Colossians 3:16--Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

Ephesians 3:17-- so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love.

John 14:23--Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.