As a child, a game I played a few times was Capture the Flag. I wasn’t the athletic type, but I understood the mission. As the other players left the defensive territory to enter the enemy’s camp, my objective was not surrendering the flag. 

With my heart beating inside my chest, I looked straight into the dark eyes of the enemy (not really, we were all kids). I geared up, took my stance, and was promptly dragged several feet by my opponent. Bruised, scratched, and disheveled, I observed as the challenger completed his assignment. Although we lost, I fought a good fight. My team cried for redemption. Granting us another game, I put my game face on and altered my strategy; I successfully guarded the flag. Imagine all that effort was for a game where I was willing to battle or go down with the ship if necessary. 

As a believer, I’ve often thought, why didn’t I guard my heart with the same determination and perseverance? 

Proverbs 4:23 makes it clear what our objective is: 

Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. (NIV)

Isn’t it compelling that King Solomon authored this verse? It’s safe to say that we must pay attention if the wisest man penned it.  

A beneficial way of viewing our hearts is as the command center for our emotions, feelings, judgment, or conscience. Before knowing the Lord, I practiced this guarding unhealthily because of all the trauma and hurt. Barriers and barricades surrounded my heart, making it hard to process life as the Lord intended. I was taking my heart hostage to keep the ugly at bay. 

Yet, by God’s grace and power of the Holy Spirit, I gained a proper perspective of Proverbs 4:23. I no longer saw my heart guarded by a vault door but rather more like the old fashion swing doors. It still offers protection though it isn’t bolted or secured by an alarm. Viewing it like that, I defended against what came in and kept track of what was going out.

We need the Holy Spirit to assist us in putting a microscope on our hearts. His gentle leading, convicting, and prompting are vital as we trek through life’s peaks and valleys. 

Jeremiah 17:9 is clear:

The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? (NIV)

Have you ever been convinced of something only to find out later that it wasn’t true? The heart and mind can lead us down life’s detours God never meant for us to take. A necessity to avoid those is to seek out the One who created the heart. 

Let’s look at the verse again and read it out loud slowly. Did you catch it? The scripture says EVERYTHING! Interestingly, we sometimes pick and choose what we guard ourselves against. We might be distrusting and skeptical as a lifestyle and then justify our responses due to our past experiences. On the other hand, we can completely disregard the red flags of a new friendship. 

Lately, in conversations with multiple people, one word kept emerging. The word was “anxiety”; many suffer from anxious thoughts and feelings. As we dove deeper into our chats, the realization surfaced, admitting to not being careful over the affairs of the heart. 

Now take a moment and examine, have anxious thoughts been creeping in? When did they begin? What was happening in your life?

Feel free to dive deep. Reflection is healing for the heart and soul. 

 

Why is it so important to be alert about heart issues?

Luke 6:45 gives us a glimpse of why it matters:

The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart, his mouth speaks. (ESV)

Jesus cues in on it. To have fruitful lives, we must guard the place of origin-the heart. Another word we can substitute for guard is to watch. This verse isn’t a suggestion. It is a fundamental mandate to lead a godly, faith-filled Christian walk. 

Here’s another thought- would you ever guard or watch something without worth? A safe might house a natural diamond, while a drawer stores a costume piece. The reason for this careful security is that the cost of the diamond is greater than the costume jewelry. So how are we to guard our hearts? By valuing it. 

In other translations, we see the insertion of the word diligence. To operate with diligence is to exercise effort and intentionality. It proactively checks what enters and exits—evaluating what influences or inspires. Practically speaking, we must perform heart checks regularly. 

Here are some practical essentials that may help with heart checks: 

1-Get in God’s word daily. I can’t stress this enough. It is critical to maintaining a godly heart and lifestyle. Disciplined practice of reading, slowing the pace of life to hear what the Spirit is saying, is just the beginning. The Bible is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path as stated in Psalm 119:105. God’s word is a tool, and is only effective if it is used correctly, consistently, and constantly. In the armor of God, the Bible is represented as a sword. It is the only offensive tool meaning it is proactive not reactive. In other words, it positions us for advancing, and not retreating.

2-Prayer/Devotional time/Journal- All three are crucial for quiet reflection. Heart conversations with the Father help redirect the focus from us to Him. As long as we continue to magnify the problem or the matter, it signifies its priority. It tends to get more significant than it really is. Problems will always seek out prominence. By shifting our focus to God, we minimize the issues and gain truth-filled revelations. 

3-Show yourself some grace- as previously mentioned, you can tell if you show yourself grace by your self-talk. Addressing perfectionism and accepting that in your humanness, you have made mistakes. Mistakes can seem fatalistic, but for the most part, they aren’t. Your mistakes and life detours are opportunities to allow God to be God and, for you, to forgive yourself for them. 

4-Submit to God’s will- for most people, this one can be hard. Control is the name of the game, and many of us like to be in control. Have you ever been to a huge mall or an amusement park? One of the first things you may have done is look at the map; you notice the red dot followed by the words that say, “you are here.” Well, God is the one holding your life’s map, and submitting to Him shows you clearly where you are at. Surrendering control reveals the bigger picture, placing you on a more secure path. 

5-Create boundaries- learn to say no—another difficult task for some. For example, fear of missing out, rejection, and abandonment are why some of us forego boundaries. Here’s a good reminder:

“Good boundaries bring relief to the grief of letting other people’s opinions, issues, desires, and agendas run our life.” – Lysa Terkeurst 

 

Much like exercising a muscle where at first, it appears to be uncomfortable. Yet over time, saying no will become second nature. Again, it is about knowing your worth. 

6- Speak to a counselor or pastoral staff-Deal with trauma, and allow the Holy Spirit to heal those dusty crevices. Let go of what doesn’t matter. One of the best benefits of guarding your heart is understanding vulnerability and transparency. Both are foundational to loving God, yourself, and others healthily. You may have heard it said the enemy lives amongst the shadows. It is accurate, and the only way of seeing what is in the shadows is by exposing it to light. Having the assistance of a qualified person to help you process and bring clarity is what your heart may need.

 

I won’t pretend this is an easy journey. The reality is it isn’t. It isn’t fun; it’s tedious at times. Heart issues are complicated and complex, but aren’t you worth it? Jesus thought so.

I’ll leave you with this last question- what has it cost you not guarding your heart? 

Dear friend, I pray this devotional adds peace and comfort to you. I am thinking and praying for you. Share with a friend if it has blessed you. 

XO,

Katherine