Guard Your Heart
“ Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it”
The heart is the 2nd most important organ in the human body; the 1st is the brain. These two organs work in tandem to ensure that our body is functioning optimally. According to Heartmath.org, “ communication between the heart and brain is a dynamic, ongoing, two-way dialogue, with each organ continuously influencing the other’s function” ( 2020). Impulses deriving from emotions affect the signals that the brain sends the heart. The heart takes these signals and respond in various ways that ultimately affect the way the body functions.
After reflecting on the intricate relationship between the brain and heart, I gained a new understanding as to why God continuously reminds us to guard our hearts. Spiritually, it controls our faith, our actions, and our relationships. The heart is the centerpiece of our souls; everything we do and say is a reflection of it's condition. If the heart is the centerpiece, the mind would be the flowers, so to speak. The thoughts and emotions from our mind plant seeds in our hearts. The seeds can be negative or positive depending on the thought and emotion. The enemy knows the power of our minds so he constantly bombards us with negative thoughts as a strategy to avert God’s will over our lives. The first example of this is his manipulation of Eve, which led to Mankind’s fall from grace.
Throughout my life, I have been bombarded with thoughts that were driven by negative experiences. Thoughts of inadequacy, lack, and comparison led to issues of the heart such as pride, unforgiveness and idolatry. The more I permitted negative thoughts to enter my mind, the more my heart hardened. As I desperately attempted to hide my true emotions and feelings, pride crept into my heart as a mechanism to mask my true pain. It manifested as defensiveness; the need to be constantly right and knowledgeable. It also appeared as a constant desire for praise and validation from people. When I did something that I thought deserved praise but didn’t receive it, I would feel jaded and offended. I didn’t understand that I was displeasing God because although outwardly I was doing everything that would qualify me as a “good person”, inwardly I was riddled with pride and resentment.
My pride stemmed from fear of allowing people to see the cracks in the mirror that I saw every day. I refused to be vulnerable because vulnerability makes space for the opinions, advice and judgement of others. I didn’t want people to see that I really needed help---that I didn’t have it all together. I took PRIDE in being self- reliant and resilient. An independent woman. But deep down, I was really a hurt little girl with no strategy to defend myself against the enemy’s schemes. As time went on, I depleted all of my energy as I ran around in circles trying to alleviate my own pain.
Peace finally came when I unpacked the thoughts that flooded my mind. I realized that my negative thoughts were so pervasive that they consequently produced negative self- talk. Philippians 4:8 tells us to think about things that builds us up, not tear us down. Meditating on the word of God encourages this practice because you begin to view yourself the way God views you. When I thought I wasn't able to do or complete a task, I remembered “ I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” ( Philippians 4:13 NIV). When I looked in the mirror and didn’t like my reflection, I remembered that I was “ fearfully and wonderfully made” ( Psalm 139:14 NIV). Replacing my negative thoughts with God’s word and affirmations allowed me to plant healthy, positive seeds in my heart.
Next, I examined my heart. Years of denial and apathy hardened my heart towards God and the people I loved most. I refused to show vulnerability, which decreased my ability to connect with others. I became stoic and reserved. I couldn’t even recognize who I had become. This wasn’t who I was meant to be. I was suffocating myself and yearned desperately to be free. Again, I turned to God in prayer. “ LORD, please purify my heart. Give me the strength to get past myself. Show me how to be open to love again. Remove everything out of my heart that is not of you. As David said: Search me and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting”. I prayed this prayer and will continue to do so for the rest of my life. Negative thoughts will always attempt to take root in your heart, it comes with the territory of being human. However, putting on the full armor of God allows you to recognize and eradicate these seeds before they take root in your spirit.
Identifying your heart issues and unpacking the thoughts and experiences that they stem from is a daunting but necessary task. It empowers you to open yourself to fully love and trust God, which in turn enables you to wholeheartedly love people.
Today, I challenge you to do the work necessary to become who God ordained you to be.
Sending much peace and love.
