For some reason it seems that it's harder to decide what to title these blog posts than what to actually write as the text. (That was just a side thought).
This morning as I was reading in my bible I came upon this familiar scripture:
Proverbs 4:23- Above all else, guard your heart, for it affects everything you do.
For a long time the only time I ever heard the term "guarding my heart" was before I was married, and it was used in the context of keeping my emotions in check regarding the opposite sex. There is much more that applies to this principle than just silly adolescent crushes.
Living on the mission field in Uganda generates quite a bit of talk between my husband and I about why God has called us here and what He's called us to do in order to make sure we're on the right track. And sometimes I find that I lose sight of the vision and forget why i'm here at all because of what i've learned to call, "losing heart". On many occasions it's a culmination of what people have said to me, how different the culture is and it's misunderstandings , bad experiences i've had, friends that have disappointed me/lack thereof and a myriad of other things that have caused this wilting of soul to take place. That's why this verse is so important to put into practice. In order to be moving in the right direction, the heart must be in health and kept from all the things that would want to poison it, and distract one from the purpose.
Matthew Henry's commentary of this verse put's it well:
"We must maintain a holy jealousy of ourselves, and set a strick guard, accordingly, upon all the avenues of the soul; keep our hearts from doing hurt and getting hurt; from being defiled by sin and disturbed by trouble; keep them as our jewel, as our vineyard; keep a conscious void of offense; keep bad thoughts out; keep up good thoughts; keep the affections upon right objects and in due bounds. There are many ways of keeping things by care, by strength, by calling in help, and we must use them all in keeping our hearts.
So, today i've renewed my commitment to do just that and watch and see the good fruit that will come of it! God's word is so good....and works!
