Day 5: Guarding Your Heart
By Gail Rodgers

The ambulance ride to the hospital took us all by surprise. Dad's heart attack was completely unexpected! As we awaited Dad's surgery, we learned a clogged artery in his heart had caused all the problem. Years of not being careful what went into his mouth now took its toll on his heart. Not heeding the warnings nearly cost him his life!

What happens in our physical hearts when we allow too much junk in is much the same as what happens to us spiritually when we leave our hearts unguarded. The Bible warns us in pretty strong language, "Above all else, guard your heart for it is the wellspring of life" (Proverbs 2:23). "The wellspring" is that place where everything bubbles out from. You know the old saying, "It isn't your actions that tell so much about what you are like as it is your reactions." What springs forth in that unexpected moment comes from the heart. Love, faith, and inspiration - or frustration, anger and criticism - all spring from the same place.

The heart is a place that needs guarding because things sneak in and we often don't even realize they are there, clogging the system, until that reaction springs forth, surprising even ourselves.

So how does one guard the heart? By first guarding the thoughts. Thoughts not taken captive (Day 4) begin to run a rut in our minds and make their way down into our hearts where they become an attitude! Attitudes permeate our lives.

When we are powerless to take captive our thoughts, our hearts remain unguarded. We need the power of the Holy Spirit to help us guard our hearts and change the attitudes that permeate our lives.

You will notice that as you ask Him to help you take captive your thoughts and guard your heart, you will become increasingly conscious of being able to choose throughout the day what you are thinking and how you are reacting. The nudge of the Holy Spirit comes quietly and quickly when we entertain wrong thinking and wrong attitudes. By choosing to respond to His gentle touch you will find yourself being "transformed by the renewing of your mind" (Romans 12:2).

Trust Him for this, and you will find peace coming into your heart in ways you never imagined."God will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is steadfast on Him because he trusts in Him" (Isaiah 26:3-4). It's a promise!

About the Author

Gail Rodgers has a passion for discovering and sharing how the Scriptures apply in very practical ways where we live and walk each day. She is a wife, mother of three, businesswoman and a pastor to women. She resides in Alberta, Canada with her family. Click to order Gail's new devotional book, Everything You Need: http://www.gailrodgers.ca/orderBook.htm or visit her web site at http://www.gailrodgers.ca. Click to e-mail Gail: mailto:editor@christianwomentoday.com?subject=Attn:Gail_Rodgers