Fighting For Mental And Emotional HealthSample

Day 2: Fight for your Heart

Who is in charge of your heart? Who holds the keys to your emotions, feelings, and perspective in life? Too often we delegate the responsibility of the atmosphere of our hearts to other people or things—our spouses, friends, parents, the media or outward circumstances of our lives. You have to fight for your heart. Proverbs 4:23 says, “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” 

Mental and emotional health flows from the heart. We are often quick to guard our houses, cars and material possessions but overlook our hearts. Physically, heart attacks occur when one or more of your coronary arteries becomes blocked. What plaque of life has been building up in your heart? 

As a follower of Jesus, what do you do when your heart feels clogged up with sadness, depression, anxious thoughts, or heartbreak? David gives us a great example to follow in Psalm 42. Do not destroy your emotions, learn how to praise God despite of them. 

Psalm 42:5 says, “Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.” David was honest before God. He did not hide his feelings and real emotions. But in the end, he fought for his heart. David talked to himself and reminded himself to put his hope back in God and worship Him. We too need to remind ourselves that God is bigger than what we are facing, a present help in time of need and working all things together for our good. 

Fight for the atmosphere of your heart and guard it with all diligence because all issues, including mental and emotional health, flow from it.

Pray with me today: “Father, help me to guard my heart. Give me a revelation of what it means for me to truly guard my heart. Even if I am feeling downcast, I will yet put my hope in you and praise you! Restore a pure and clean heart within me. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”