Pack Your Baggage, HoneySample

Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life (Prov. 4:23 NLT).  

This is one of those verses I have clung to many times in my life, and I have repeatedly seen the positive result of following its advice. The reality is this: those weak areas of our heart truly need to be guarded. Like the crown jewels are guarded in the Tower of London, the heart is the life of the body and needs guarding also. Without a healthy heart, the body can’t function well. 

A number of years ago, I left a church I had been attending. Leaving the church was one of the hardest things I had been through. I grieved over the loss. And then one day, I realized my grief had turned to anger, and not the righteous kind—it was anger at those who had “messed up” our fellowship. My heart began to harden; my joy was diminished; and my peace became nonexistent. I had forgotten to guard my heart, to put Jesus first in my life. 

I had to do a lot of work to make things right again. The first involved much repentant prayer for forgiveness. As the same old feelings would creep back in, I had to remind myself again and again to guard my heart, to put Jesus back on the throne. Over time, God graciously softened my heart, and healing took place. 

The only thing that has to happen to acquire a hard heart is placing “self” in the center. Keeping Jesus in the center, on the throne, guards against hardening. A heart can easily become hardened, so guarding it makes sense; keeping it healthy is a defensive and protective stance. And the wonderful result of proactive “guarding” is flowing “rivers of life.” 

Sounds like abundant living to me! So now, the weak areas aren’t just places where fiery arrows can be lobbed, but now refreshing rivers of water flow from those areas. Did you notice that water puts out fire? The more we allow the Holy Spirit to guard us and fill us, the more the springs of water will flow out. The enemy can lob his fiery arrows, but the springs of water will render them useless. The areas where we once found hurt will now become areas that produce healing for others as we minister out of our experiences.