“My son, pay attention to what I say; listen closely to my words. Do not let them out of your sight keep them within your heart; for they are life to those who find them and health to a man’s whole body. Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life” (Proverbs 4:20-23.) Everyone wants his or her life to be fulfilling and successful. Instead of a life of anxiety you can have joy. Instead of chaos, you can have a peace beyond understanding. Learn to “guard your heart”.
What is the heart? The heart is where our character is formed. Success and secrets are held in the heart. The heart reveals our motives and who we really are. The heart is the seat of all our dreams, desires, hopes, wishes, and passions. “Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart” (Psalms 36:4). A “wellspring” is a continuous, inexhaustible source and supply. The heart is the wellspring and giver of life. The heart alone stores our treasures, but they can be stolen.
What are we guarding our hearts from? Relationship with Jesus is based on faith and beliefs. We want to protect our heart from doubt, which produces fear. The enemy comes to rob, steal, and destroy our faith. We know we have faith when we have love, joy, and peace. Fear based emotions include anger, hostility, resentment, frustration, impatience, irritation, anxiety, and hatred. We want to keep the good in and the bad out. “My shield is God Most High, who saves the upright in heart” (Psalm 7:10.)
How do you guard your heart? In Proverbs 4:20-23, the writer says to pay attention to what I say and listen closely to my words, keeping them within your heart. It is important to guard your ears and eyes to effectively guard your heart. The Bible tells us “Blessed is the man whose delight is the law of the Lord and on His law he meditates day and night” (see Psalm 1-3). It is important to guard what we hear and see because what we think about and talk about comes about. “Take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5b). “The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit” (Proverbs 18:21).
Live in the fullness of God’s grace. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1Jn 1:9.) Grace is an undeserved gift that heals, restores, forgives, protects, prospers, delivers, and transforms us into wholeness. Grace is the goodness of God that brings victory, not on our own efforts or ability. The free gift of grace empowers us to face challenges and difficulties in any area of life, including fear, debt, sickness, addictions, or broken relationships. The more we increase in the knowledge of Jesus and what he accomplished on the cross, the more grace will be multiplied in our life and heart.
Receive the peace of God. “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” (Phil 4:6-7.) The world defines peace as to what is seen, felt and heard. Godly peace is not the absence of challenges or trouble in life. With God, it is possible to be in the middle of a major crisis or storm in life and still have peace.
Be thankful and joyful. Thankfulness is an expression of the heart. Thankfulness follows contentment. A person who is content is grateful and satisfied with whatever they have. They think of God and others and not only of themselves. “Let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice” (1Chronicles 16:10). God uses our character, experiences and circumstances to produce something of value in us. Experiences that would ordinarily harm you can turn out to be the very thing that makes you wiser, stronger and better. "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything" (James 1:2-4).
Learn to forgive. Forgiveness is both a choice and a process. Forgiveness is the path to healing and freedom. The Bible tells us to forgive so we may be forgiven. Not forgiving results in isolation that leads to resentment, which leads to bitterness, which destroys the heart and soul. “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ, God forgave you. (Ephesians 4:32.)
Develop safe relationships and boundaries. We cannot protect ourselves unless we first have the foundation of healthy and safe relationships. In part, having boundaries is practicing limits which keeps things in that will nurture us and keep things out, that will harms us. A heart unguarded is vulnerable and can become damaged and broken.
Don’t ignore the symptoms. Symptoms are the result and effects of an underling issue or root cause. Often times the problem we notice is a symptom. Look for the patterns to find the source of the issue. In order for things to change, you have to start with your self. The only thing that you can change is you. Your circumstances and other people may never change. Transformation is from the inside out, not from the outside in.
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