How are you guarding your heart these days?

I am working on a Bible study guide of Proverbs. I find working with a study guide helps me understand and “pay attention” to the Word. I give thought to the Word. Otherwise, I tend to skim over the message and I don’t really “listen” to the words.

Proverbs 4:23 (NLT) is a plea from a father to his son to guard his heart from evil influences and wrongdoing. Isn’t that the fundamental principle of parenting? It tells us to keep our “eye on the prize”, which is Jesus Christ.

How are your guarding your heart these days?

I know I don’t guard my heart as well as I should some days. Our modern-day culture is full of heartless distractions: violence (video games/movies), hatred (speech), pornography, selfish greed (money/things)…the list goes on and on. My guilty pleasure is certain reality shows. It’s the train wreck aspect of it. I can’t not watch the out-of-control craziness. It’s insanity at its best, or worst, however you want to look at it. I know it’s not good for my heart, even when I am watching it. Train wreck. Maybe watching reality shows isn’t a character defining decision...Or is it?

It’s easy to justify our decisions…everyone’s doing it, or it’s just how it is these days.

In Hebrew the word “heart” means “the essence of our inner-self, the totality of our thoughts, feelings and will”. According to Solomon, we live out of the heart.

Our heart is at the center of who we are.

So, those justifications we make for not guarding our heart really don’t pass for good reasons. We must filter what goes into our hearts so that we guard it from taking us down the wrong path. The decisions we make every day must deepen our relationship with Christ. Whether it’s what we watch, how we speak to others or how we act because “…it determines the rest of your life.”

Let’s guard our hearts together. Nourish your soul.

**********************************

For another thought provoking and inspirational take on guarding your heart head over to …From Mr. Maden. The post is a few years old but TRUTH is never outdated!

Also Lara at {in}courage says, “What does matter is the condition of my heart when the future arrives.” Read her tearful post here. Seriously, I had tears in my eyes reading it!