<3 The Key to Guarding Your Heart <3

-if this seems long and to much to read..go toward the end-have nutshellled version ;) -

"Above all else, guard your heart, for it affects everything you do." –Proverbs 4:23

God knows that I have tried so hard to grasp this verse. I am careful to not put my hope in the things of this world that are unstable. I have tried to not get close to certain friends in efforts to not let my heart lose some of its pieces, all in efforts to figure out how to follow the instructions set forth in this verse. I at one point realized I was going about it all wrong just in the way that I was trying to do it myself. We're not even the ones who are supposed to place walls up to 'guard' our hearts-that's our King's job (but his is for another blog). Here I want to let you in on a light bulb moment where God point blank pointed out how I am to guard my heart as the wisest human who ever lived told us to do. Now, I don't want to say this is the only thing that Prov. 4:23 could be talking about, but this is what God showed in reference to my meditating on the above scripture.

I was reading in Philippians one morning last week and came across the already underlined and well known verse found in chapter 4. Now, maybe I'm just slow in coming around to this realization, maybe you're going to give me one of those sideways glances and say, Uh Cass, sorry to break it to yeah, I learned THAT ONE in Sunday School. Whatever the case, I never saw it in this light. Perhaps it's due to the wording used in the NLT version that caught my eye. In Philippians 4:6-9 I read,

"Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. If you do this, you will experience God's peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus…Fix your thoughts on what is true and honorable and right. Think about things that are pure and lovely and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Keep putting into practice all you learned from me and heard from me and saw me doing, and the god of peace will be with you."

Did you see it? Yep re-read that, take a second and see what pops out. There it is right in the middle… "HIS PEACE WILL GUARD YOUR HEARTS…" In this context, the Greek meaning for 'guard' is as a sentinel, 'by Christ's intervention, guards and patrols the heart's door, preserving it from intrusions of anxious fears and alarms.' Are those wheels in that mind of yours turning? The tangible way to guard your heart as Solomon advises us is found by

-Don't worry about anything; how?

How SHORT I fall in this area! It's a holy conviction really that hit me. I fret so much, and when others see us so stressed all the time and worries about everything, what kind of a testimony to the provision and faithfulness of our Father God is that? We have to realize how trustworthy he is and start worrying less!!!!!

-Praying about EVERYTHING

Notice it doesn't say pray about your problems. Or, pray about the things you aren't happy about, or pray about the people you think are dying…no it says EVERYTHING. Think its just the NLT version, nope. ESV-EVERYTHING. NKJ- EVERYTHING. Its not like the interpretation went from most things, worrisome things to everything. God wants us to pray about EVERYTHING. One might ask well then how do I pray about the everything..how do I pray about…the….er..ah rain? You don't pray for it, you don't have to pray against it, you say God..i love rain. Thank you for this rainy day, even though they are generally dreary-God every rain drop on my face feels like a kiss from you reminding me of how much you and work in and care about the little things. Do what the verse says-pray about everything, God wants to be THAT involved with YOU!

-tell God what you need and thank him for what he has done

You see how there is some sort of distinction between asking God, as your provider, to act on your behalf and 'praying about everything.' Nevertheless, he wants us to ask him to help, he wants to be your dad and provide for you. Let him in on the deal by inviting him into it!

When we do this, God's peace, the peace we see as Jesus stood ridiculed, in pain yet silent before his accusers. The peace that calmed the raging seas, this peace can be ours. This peace will chase away our worries and this peace will wrap its protective sentinels around your heart that can monitor what is allowed in and out. Yet another prerequisite seems to be that we live in Christ Jesus. Wow. A lot to chew I know. But all these thoughts started to take root in my mind as I asked God to solidify it all. In a nut shell let me tell you this light bulb experience for you to walk away with if nothing else.

NUTSHELL--- The command is found in Phil 4:6 to virtually stop worrying by inviting God into your EVERY situation.

IF you do this THEN the promise is found in verse 7 that God's overwhelming peace will GUARD YOUR HEART and minds (which is seen in verse 8; you see the connection between heart and though life here)

Ultimately, to follow the instructions of Solomon to guard your heart above all else means to let God say what goes In and out. No longer are we to strive to put up protective walls, life is here to be lived, worries strip us of that enjoyment we could have. We much to often forfeit this right to a set apart life that is lived with ZEAL (Rom. 12:11) So how about it, are you going to let GOD guard your heart? Are you going to take the steps necessary to invite God into your every circumstance in order to live with the reality of HIS PEACE surrounding your life? This God is with you right here right now, even now you can hear his whisper and beconing call to enter this life of peace, to guard your heart against the enemies devices that would strip you of the life well lived. Friends, listen to your God who sees the desires of your heart- Don't worry about anything, instead pray about everything..above all else guard your heart. This beloved, is the KEY to guarding your heart.