Proverbs 4:23 advises us to protect our hearts. Then it attaches another thought. “For your heart is the wellspring of life.” First of all, what does it mean to protect our hearts? How do we do that? Why do we need to do that? Obviously, the organ in the center of your being that pumps life into your whole system is important. It needs to be healthy. It needs your protection. You do that every day by giving it some exercise and eating foods that strengthen it. But that’s only a part of the story.
Every day, your heart is assaulted. It steps into the world and begins the emotional and spiritual process of trying to understand those things that seem to strike at the very core of what it means to have a good heart. It is continually in check, striving to trust, to find its way. Like a bumper car trying to get safely through to the finish line, your heart is bumped and bruised and surprised by life. The good news is that you are not alone in your effort to protect your heart and mind from the whims of the world. You have a champion, a guardian, who will walk with you and guide you. All you have to do is ask for that very protection.
Protecting your heart on your own isn’t easy though. Every negative thought that flies through your mind and lands somewhere in your consciousness seeks to unravel your sense of peace. Every unthoughtful word or gesture from those around you, steals your joy. The fact is that no one else is tuned in to the needs of your heart. No one else knows your story and your backstory and the things that cause you to feel emotions that only wreak havoc on your heart and soul. No one, that is, but God.
God knows the real you, the heart of hearts you. He knows your thoughts that try to get you off track. He knows how fragile you are and how much you need His help. He searches your heart continually because He wants you to know what matters, what doesn’t, and what to hold on to. He knows that you are a child at heart no matter how old you are, how successful you are, or how strong you are. Your heart is always vulnerable and always in need of His attention.
Sometimes we get caught in the drama of life, get sidetracked by things that grieve our hearts, and wonder how we got there. We’re plagued with anxiety and a sense of our own failure. We wonder if our hearts can recover from the stress and strain, we’ve applied to it ourselves. For every matter of the heart, there is one voice that forgives and renews and holds you close. When you give your heart to God, He is the wellspring of your life forever. He will never let you go.
How are things with your heart today?