Guard Your Heart

“Keep your heart with all vigilance,

    for from it flow the springs of life.” – Provers 4:23

 

“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” – Philippians 4:4-8

 

It has been a rough week, in the midst of a rough month, nestled in a rough year…for everyone.

However, for us, it became really rough when the virus that had previously just been something you read about in the media hit home. 

When the first symptoms began to show, it was like a dam was starting to break and the waves of worry and anxiety were starting to spill over. The “what if’s…” started to build and our hearts and minds became restless. It seemed as though any time you came close to a screen you hit another landmine of information, information that masqueraded as useful but actually just eroded our hearts a bit more. 

It became overwhelming pretty quick. Yet in the midst of it all, there was this echo. Faint at first, a distant memory of a truth God had taught long ago.

“Guard your heart”.

It seemed like a bit of an odd thing to have come up, yet the more I pressed into it, the more God began to show the simplistic, powerful truth in it. 

“Guard your heart,  for from it flow the springs of life…” 

Our hearts are the seat from which all of our actions spring forth from, our interactions with people, our interactions with ourselves. They all flow from our hearts. 

Yet so many times I find myself allowing anything in. Often it is under the guise of openness and learning or being prepared, yet not all things are beneficial. At some point, things can become toxic. 

For me it was information. Under the guise of wanting to be prepared and “in the know”, this information began to become toxic and kindling for the fires of the “what if’s…”. Information began to erode peace and trust. It jockeyed for position with God’s truth and sovereignty. 

The echo took root, and now is beginning to grow. Boundaries and disciplines are springing up, even in the midst of uncertainty. Information is not bad, but it can become toxic. I think that now we all find ourselves in a new vulnerable position. 

My challenge for you today is to remember to guard your heart. The heart that was made new in Christ, that is the epicenter of hope, both for you and for the world around you. Cultivate your heart and maintain the wellspring, it is easy to forget about it, and we can experience shame if we have neglected it for a while. Yet know that God is there, longing to restore and provide, even in the midst of the uncertainties. 

May God bless us and keep us, may He cause His face to shine upon us and grant us peace. 

Britton

Collegiate Abbey

Leave a Comment





This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.