Guarding Your Heart Against Unwanted InvadersChikamu

D - Dedicate this battle of heart to the Lord

I am always amazed at how the Lord weaves His good purposes even into my hardest fought heart battles, namely in the form of offering encouragement to another who is going through something similar. On the other side of the battle, I am able to offer empathy and understanding in both my words and through my prayers.

Once the would-be invaders have been dealt with and peace has returned to my heart, the final way to guard it is to dedicate the battle to the Lord for His glory. This prevents any shadow from setting in afterwards that is so often caused by doubt and shame, while simultaneously being confident that He does not waste one single thing, including the internal struggles or afflictions I face.

Many years ago I learned the valuable lesson that whether or not something was considered a waste truly depended upon the individual.

My husband’s grandmother was the most resourceful woman I have ever known. She had a way to repurpose everything that passed through her hands. That which seemed to me to be empty, used, ripped, or broken was to her as good as new, ready for a new purpose. Watching her use everything/waste nothing lifestyle began to change my own as I would think, “How would Grandma Faye use this?”

Likewise, when we catch the heart of God as expressed through the words of Paul - that God comforts us so that we might comfort others - we learn that He can use everything that we walk through for His glory, our good, and the good of others. We begin to look at the battles through which we’ve walked and the would-be-unwanted-invaders of heart differently as we consider, “How might the Lord use this? How can I glorify Him? What have I learned that I can share with others? Who might I be able to pray for or encourage?”

So, do we need “Stay Off Ice” signs and other boundaries for our protection and good, as we seek to grow both in our relationship with our Savior and in our witness to the world? Yes, absolutely. But we must not forget the importance of guarding our hearts against external attacks and internal storms and temptations. They will come, and when they do, remember to go to God in prayer, unburden your heart before Him, arm yourself with His truth, renew your mind, and dedicate the heart battle to Him.

We hope this plan encouraged you. Connect with Cara Blondo of The One Thing Desired blog and the podcast, Perspective Shifts, for more biblical encouragement and free resources.