In our fast-paced world, it's easy to overlook the most vital part of our being: our hearts. Given its importance, guarding our hearts is one of the most crucial concepts of our time. It's a concept that might seem old-fashioned in our tech-driven age, but wisdom—true, life-changing wisdom—is heart-centered, not just head-centered.
The Heart: More Than Just an Organ
When we think of the heart, we often picture the physical organ that pumps blood through our bodies. But in the Bible, and in much of human experience, the heart represents something deeper. It's our emotional center, the "immaterial essence" of who we are. It's not just about feelings; it's about the very core of our being.
I recently heard a startling statistic: in 2004, heart disease was the leading cause of death, claiming over 650,000 lives. While that's a physical ailment, it struck me how often we neglect our emotional and spiritual heart health as well. We focus on what we can see—our appearance, our achievements—but God looks deeper. As 1 Samuel 16:7 says, "Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart."
The Power of the Unseen
Think about it: when something is visibly wrong, we address it immediately. A pimple on our face, food in our teeth—we spring into action. But our hearts? They're hidden, and it's all too easy to ignore what's going on beneath the surface. Yet, as Proverbs 4:23 tells us, "Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it."
Everything we do flows from our hearts. Every word, thought, action, and decision emerges from this unseen center. Even the most logical among us can't divorce ourselves from emotion. Our feelings are like the seasoning in the recipe of life; they add flavor and depth to our experiences.
Emotions: Our Unique Divine Imprint
In an age where artificial intelligence is replacing many humans, it's crucial to remember that it isn’t intelligence that makes us human - it’s our emotions. They're not a weakness; they're the most unique part of us. They are the mark of God in us. Our hearts are powerful electromagnets, generating energy that resonates with those around us. That's why we can empathize with someone's pain or laugh along with their joy.
God cares deeply about our hearts. When Jesus walked the earth, He didn't suppress his emotions. He wept, He felt anguish, and He lifted his feelings to the Father. Our journey of faith isn't about escaping our emotions; it's about allowing God to transform them.
The Heart: The Battleground of Life
Every war, every struggle, is first won or lost in the heart. We often try to fight our battles—financial, relational, mental—from the wrong center. We look for logical solutions, strategies, and answers. But wisdom tells us that the real battleground is within.
As a counselor, one of the main challenges I see is people struggling to access their emotions. When I ask, "How do you feel today?" many find it hard to answer. We're so caught up in what we're doing that we neglect how we're feeling. But just like a Google Map needs your starting location to guide you to your destination, you need to know where your heart is to move forward in life.
The Overflow of the Heart
Jesus said, "The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of" (Luke 6:45). Our words are a barometer of our heart's condition. If you've noticed your speech becoming more negative or bitter, it's time to check what's going on inside.
Ignoring Heart Issues
We wouldn't ignore smoke pouring out from under our car's hood or brown water from our tap. Yet, when it comes to our hearts, we often push through, smile, and pretend everything's fine. In our hustle culture, we treat emotional exhaustion as a weakness. But God is not a demanding taskmaster; He's a loving Father who rushes to us in our pain.
The Heart and Our Relationships
Your marriage, your parenting, and your friendships are profoundly influenced by your heart's condition. As parents, the best thing we can do isn't to control our children's behavior but to regulate our own emotional state. In marriage, the climate is largely determined by what's overflowing from our hearts.
Guarding the Heart: A Personal Responsibility
So, how do we guard this powerful yet fragile part of us? First, we must take responsibility for our hearts. Too often, we blame others for our emotions. "You made me angry," we say, or "You hurt me." While others' actions do affect us, we are responsible "from the skin in," as our founding pastor Dr. Gary Smith puts it.
Secondly, we must address our wounds. Unhealed wounds lead to bitterness, and bitterness disconnects us from God. Paul talks about the "hardening of the heart" (Ephesians 4:18), likening it to a badly healed fracture. When we don't address pain healthily, this wellspring of life gets stopped up.
The Danger of Numbing
One of my personal struggles has been numbing—using busyness, challenges, or even success to avoid feeling pain. But here's the thing: there's no such thing as local anesthetic for the heart. If you numb the pain, you also numb the joy. If you numb grief, you also numb hope. I'd rather feel it all—the tears, the anger—than feel nothing. Numbness is unsustainable; it leads to a heart that either erupts or runs dry.
The Path to Healing
Healing starts with acknowledgment. Just naming your feelings—"I'm angry," "I'm scared"—is a huge step. Then comes the hard part: forgiveness. Unforgiveness is like making a contract with the person who wronged you, saying, "We're staying right here." Forgiveness breaks that contract.
We also must admit our own failures. While we're not responsible for others' actions, we are responsible for our reactions. One of the most powerful prayers is, "God, create in me a clean heart" (Psalm 51:10). It's like opening a wound to clean it out—painful, but necessary.
Prospering from the Heart Inside Out
In our success-driven world, we chase after strategies and hacks. But God's path to success is different. In 3 John 1:2, it says, "Beloved, I wish above all else that you may prosper and be in health, even as your soul prospers." True prosperity, true success, starts with a healthy heart.
As we navigate the complexities of life, let's not forget the wisdom that speaks louder than any mic drop: "Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it." In doing so, we're not just surviving; we're thriving from the heart outward.
