Have you ever thought about guarding your heart? To guard our heart means to keep watch, watch over, protect or preserve our inner self.[1] We may think of security personnel guarding a business or soldiers guarding something important, but we don’t often think of guarding our heart.
Guarding your heart is significant and affects life today and in eternity. All of us, whether we believe it or not, are involved in an ongoing spiritual battle. This spiritual battle is often subtle but can be deadly. It is a battle that pits our adversary, satan and his minions, against every person on earth. Jesus tells us in John 10:10, “The thief’s (satan) purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My (Jesus) purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.” [2]
Our Heart Determines our Course of Life
Scripture gives great insight to the importance of guarding one’s heart. Proverbs 4:23Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life. [3] If we fail to guard our hearts, we can be lead down a path that filled with detours meant to destroy us.
In Judges chapter four, the Israelites have lost their spiritual compass. They have not guarded their hearts and are reaping the consequences. Judges 4:1 After Ehud’s death, the Israelites again did evil in the Lord’s sight. [4] The failure of the nation to guard its heart led to a way of evil.
A heart, in a spiritual sense, is like a garden that needs to be weeded and cared for. A garden that is neglected grows weeds without any effort on our part. A heart that is neglected drifts away from God slowly, so we don’t always realize how far we have gone.
Guarding Your Heart Involves the Lord
We can only guard our heart with God’s strength as we spend time with Him in prayer, in worship, and in His word. This helps us to better hear the voice of the Lord and have a faith that wants to follow the Lord. When we truly guard our hearts, we become a fruitful garden for the Lord and the work of His Kingdom. This is God’s desire for each person.
The Lord, through his Word, is the guard, shield, and protector of our hearts. This doesn’t mean pain or difficulties in life don’t happen, but it does mean the Lord is with us as we walk through those situations.
Joyce Meyer writes, “I have found that if I can capture my thoughts for God early in the morning, through prayer and meditating on Scripture, then it’s easier to protect my heart. Or I can risk waiting until the afternoon, when I’ve already let the enemy use it as a garbage dump for a while and then try to get a handle on it. Obviously, it would be better to start my morning doing the right thing!”[5]
To hear more about guarding your heart, listen here: https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/faith-makes-a-difference-barak
[2-4] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation. Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.
[5] https://joycemeyer.org/en/everydayanswers/ea-teachings/whats-the-condition-of-your-heart