Guard your heart

“Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.”Proverbs‬ ‭4‬:‭23‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Do we really take this verse seriously? Are we too easily angered? Are we too easily wasted by popular opinion? Are we more responsive to negative comments from others or do we relish the positive?

I am on the bright side of the fence. Even when bad things happen I look for the seed of change. I might be laid out for a short while but pull back and seek my God in what is next.

I read a Napoleon Hill book over the past few days and he was much like me in attitude. It was written in the mid 1900’s but is very relevant to attitudes of success. A positive mental attitude is one of the attributes he speaks about.

My heart is really the dwelling place of my God and I must see things from His perspective. I cannot allow bitterness, resentment, self-pity etc to dwell there. He is none of those things.

As you read the Old Testament and in particular the book of Kings you see the kings who were faithful to the word of God and those who went so far as to pollute His temple with idols. Some were downright disgusting. They burned their children in the fire to Molech. I cannot imagine why anyone would do that!

Our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit. I cannot expect Him to dwell with filth and uncleaness, greed or any form of idolatry. My health is best when my heart is clean.

We might need to pray with David: create in me a clean heart oh God, and renew a right spirit within me! (Psalm 51:10)


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