"Guard your heart always, for it is the wellspring of life." Proverbs 4:23

I came across this verse the other day, and something about it really stirred my soul. The next day one of my friends posted this same verse on Facebook  and I felt like God wanted me to think on it more, and so I have been. And I've come up with a few thoughts I'd like to share.

What does it mean to guard your heart? When we think of guarding something, we think of protecting it, and I think that's the idea here. We need to protect our hearts, but that can be a tricky thing. When we want to protect our home, we put a lock on the door. When a nation wants to defend itself, it might build a wall around the borders. And sometimes guarding our heart means that we must do the same. We don't let things in that can steal our peace and joy.

But walls and locks can be detrimental too. A heart that is shut down and closed off from everything around it becomes a lifeless heart.

God says that life flows from the heart. It must be guarded, but not shut down. In a world where people, things, and even the heart itself can bring a great deal of harm, how is this accomplished? How can we guard our heart and have it open at the same time?

I believe the secret lies with keeping the heart fully open to God. Letting Him fill it with His love. We don't guard our heart with locks and walls. We guard it with the truth.

How have you left your heart unprotected? What lies are you believing that are damaging your heart? That you're worthless and never good enough? That happiness comes from material possessions and perfect circumstances? That harboring bitterness is better than forgiveness?

I encourage you to take a serious look at your heart. What's there? God's love for you, or shame and regret? Peace or worry? Joy or despair? Thankfulness or discontentment?

Be honest with Him about it, and ask Him to fill it with what needs to be there, including Himself, for Jesus said, "Whoever drinks the water I give will never thirst. It will become a spring of water welling up to eternal life." (John 4:14)