“Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.” Proverbs 4:23

Stay in Charge of Your Heart

Sometimes when I look in the mirror, I don’t recognize myself! There are lots of new wrinkles! That happens as the years roll by. My face is a little fuller because of weight gain from the cancer treatment I’m on. But the thing I notice most right now is that my hair is so much longer. No haircuts the last five months! Someone asked me when the last time was that my hair was this long. I thought, and realized it was the 1970s. It’s about down to my shoulders. I’ve always kept my hair short. Floyd would actually complain if I let it grow, as he loves me with short hair!

As I look at this person that looks so different to the “me” that I know, I have a new appreciation for the verse that says God doesn’t see as man sees. “Man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” I’m really very grateful that God sees the heart and not just this very different person that I’m looking at in the mirror. I’m not too fond of this new look.

I can’t always control what’s happening to me on the outside—but I can surely control what’s going on in my heart! If I allow any sin to enter my heart (pride, anger, jealousy, rebellion, disobedience, greed, unforgiveness—anything that doesn’t reflect the Lord), God will surely see it even if no one else does. It will grieve Him, and He will hold me accountable. I need to regularly examine my heart to make sure none of these ugly attitudes enter in.

On the flip side, even though my outward body is crumbling away, if I keep my heart clean and pure before Him, it brings Him pleasure and glorifies Him. That is my desire, and I ask God to help me continually.

I was thinking about the things that impact our hearts:
–  disappointment over unanswered prayer
–  hurt in relationships
–  insecurity and feelings of rejection
–  tension in our families
–  fear for the future
–  illness and physical pain
I guess the list is endless! There are so many things that can batter our hearts.

It starts with a problem. Then our minds think about it over and over. It slowly consumes our thoughts. And, before you know it, our hearts are overwhelmed with the problem. The problem takes on immense proportions, and God is pushed to a small corner in our hearts. I know how easily it can happen.

We have to make daily choices to “cast our cares and burdens on the Lord” and keep our focus on who He is in the midst of the problems. He is the One who can solve the problems. We can’t! And we can’t let the problems consume us.

I’ve had messages recently from a number of friends and acquaintances who are feeling the weight of the pandemic—mentally and emotionally. Some have lost jobs. Others are physically ill. Many are weighed down with fear for the future. It IS a stressful time. That is why we must keep guard over our hearts and minds and continually press into the Lord to help us. We can’t allow any room for the enemy to exploit our situations.

God, help us keep guard over our hearts so that You will be pleased with what You see. Amen.