"Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life" (Proverbs 4:23).
I think this text is most commonly used as a warning for singles to "guard their heart" from the wrong romantic partner or for married people to guard their relationship. Not bad advice, but if we left the text there we'd be remiss.
Guarding our heart is also about guarding our motivation, our passions, our drive.* What keeps us going from day to day? Are we guarding that? For example, last fall when I took on an teaching an extra writing class, I found that my life revolved around a never ending stack of papers--the constant grading withered my passion for teaching.
As much as is in our power to do, we need to make choices that keep us engaged in our lives. By taking time to rest, socialize, and exercise--we are guarding our hearts. By not letting life simply happen to us, we are guarding our hearts. By building a relationship with Christ, we are guarding our hearts.
Ultimately, it this relationship with Christ that guards our heart the best. "The peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:7). Christ's presence and peace in our lives creates a powerful antidote for discouragement and it lays a foundation for living life well.
*I'll credit George McDonald's Ordering Your Private World for expanding this text.
(I highly recommend this book.)
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2 comments:
Hmmm..... it would seem that I haven't not been very good about guarding my heart lately when it comes to passion, motivation, and drive. I've kinda let life happen, which I don't like at all! Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this - I needed it!
Letting life happen is one of the hardest things I struggle against. I sometimes forget how many choices I do have. I think as teachers letting life happen is really easy to do. Our job is naturally consuming which means a lot of other things can slip.
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