?? 3 Tips to Guarding Your Heart ?
1.) Be wise concerning your investments. Where are you investing your finances, time, energy, and thoughts? Matthew 6:21 tells us that wherever we make deposits or investments, our affections and emotions will there be attached. First and foremost, may our affections be on the Lord Jesus and the furtherance of His Kingdom.
Take a moment and look at your end of year summary from last year’s bank statement. Most people have the capability of doing that. What do your totals look like? You’ll easily see what’s priority in your life. In mine? FOOD and shoes! But, seriously, love offerings and giving are at the top of our list. My husband and I started a little healthy competition against ourselves a few years back. We were determined to give more in offerings each year than the previous. And, we’ve done that. On another note, same key 😉 look back over the last month of your life. Who have you communicated most with? Who are you spending the most time with? How are you spending most of your off/down-time (reading, social media, hanging out, sleeping, ministering, etc.)? All of those are investments of time, energy, and emotions. What you invest in, you grow attachment to. Eventually, attachments can become small addictions. Let’s be diligent and on guard. We want healthy attachments!
2.) Be wise concerning who/what you’re listening to. Whoever/whatever is informing you is forming you. Psalm 1 tells us that we are blessed if we don’t allow ungodly influences to have access to our lives. Let’s live the blessed life!
I mentioned books and social media in tip #1. They’re included here, as well. Isn’t it amazing how an entire culture can be shaped and molded by one viral post or news clip? Oh, we don’t see the shift immediately. It goes viral, causing a ripple effect, then it tapers off, but the touch still ends up being far reaching. The seeds are thrown, sown, and eventually reap a harvest that manifests in the culture.
What about who you’re listening to regularly? Is it godly men and women or news media and ungodly influences? They will shape you and reshape you. How do you want to grow? Wiser and stronger or foolish and weak? All of these are questions to ask yourself. I ask myself these questions.
Who are your friends? Who do you confide in? Who has your ear? Whoever you’re spending the most time with is influencing you. You will even find yourself repeating their famous sayings, or making their same facial expressions without ever once trying! Be very cautious of whom you give your time and heart to.
3.) Be wise concerning your involvement in others’ negativity and toxicity. 2 Tim. 2:23-25 teaches us to have nothing to do with foolish and ignorant controversies; to not be quarrelsome, but kind; correcting with gentleness.
“Ranting” seems to be an ever-growing drone on social media, out of talking heads on TV and radio, and even from neighbors across our streets. Rant means to speak or declaim extravagantly or violently; talk in a wild or vehement way; to bellow. That sounds toxic to me. Don’t involve yourself in these things. Don’t do it, and don’t subject yourself to it.
Obviously, there are MANY more tips on how to guard your heart. These are the three I felt strongly to share for now.
“Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.” Pro. 4:23
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For more encouraging and challenging articles and blogs, visit KeithNix.org.
If you’re ever in the Sevierville, TN area, visit Pastors Keith and Margie Nix at The Lift Church International.
