Over the years, one of the things I’ve made it a habit to ask God for is for thick skin and a tender heart. Life is messy and there’s a 100 percent chance we’ll get our feelings hurt. To be blunt—sometimes we’ll be crushed. With this ever-present reality comes a risk of being overly sensitive and habitually offended. On the other hand, there’s a chance of developing a hard heart from past hurts. Neither option is desirable.
The book of Proverbs regards our hearts as the epicenter of our inner life. The heart is where our thoughts, feelings, and actions originate.[1] Spiritually speaking, the condition of our hearts manifests itself in our behavior and that’s why Solomon wrote, “Guard your heart above all else, for it is the source of life” (Prov. 4:23 CSB).
The condition of our heart is a theme that is addressed numerous times in the Bible. Jesus said, “A good person produces good out of the good stored up in his heart. An evil person produces evil out of the evil stored up in his heart, for his mouth speaks from the overflow of the heart (Luke 6:45). Since our heart is the command center of our inner life and it dictates our actions, it’s understandable why Solomon urged his readers to guard their hearts above all things.
From a spiritual standpoint, we were all born with a heart problem. Since the fall of man (Gen.3) we’ve all rebelled against God and fallen short of His glory (Rom. 3:23). Christ’s salvation is the only remedy. Only Jesus can fix what is broken in us. But even after we become Christ-followers, we still have to guard our heart. The Word of God instructs us to avoid a deceptive heart (Psa. 12:2), a hard heart (Prov. 28:14), an unbelieving heart (Heb. 3:12), a cold heart (Matt. 24:12), and an impure heart (Psa. 51:10).[2]
Everything we see, hear, and think has the potential to permeate our heart so it’s an issue we have to be mindful about. Only we can be the gatekeeper’s and we get to choose who and what we allow in. If we choose to ingest a steady diet of garbage, we shouldn’t be surprised if it shows up in undesirable behavior. But if we make a habit of reading the Scriptures, listening to biblical preaching, and seeking out resources that increase our wisdom, we can trust our hearts and behavior to be impacted in a favorable way. Remember, guarding our heart isn’t just about avoiding certain things—it also includes seeking life-giving truth and encouragement.
I’ll leave you with a couple of things to think about.
Thoughts to Ponder:
- Are you mindful that the things you intellectually consume have a direct impact on your heart? What steps can you take to guard your heart?
- Guarding your heart isn’t simply about avoiding things. What life-giving things can you seek out that will have a positive impact on your heart?
[1] ESV Study Bible, (Wheaton, Il: Crossway, 2008), 1142).
[2] Warren B. Wiersbe, Be Skillful: God’s Guidebook to Wise Living, (Colorado Springs, CO: Cook, 1995, 53).
