“Keep and guard your heart with all vigilance and above all that you guard, for out of it flow the springs of life.”

Proverbs‬ ‭4:23‬ ‭AMPC‬‬

Guard Your Heart.

The Bible book of Proverbs says, “Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life” (Proverbs 4:23). A guard is a boundary, a definitive line or limit that we put up to keep out sin, distraction, and unnecessary brokenness. Consider the guards you need in your life today.

Sometimes we have bad on the inside and good on the outside. In these instances, we need to be able to open up our boundaries to let the good in and the bad out. In other words, our fences need gates in them. For example, if I find that I have some pain or sin within, I need to open up and communicate it to God and others, so that I can be healed. Confessing pain and sin helps to “get it out” so that it does not continue to poison me on the inside (1 John 1:9; James 5:16; Mark 7:21–23).

And when the good is on the outside, we need to open our gates and “let it in.” Jesus speaks of this phenomenon in “receiving” him and his truth (Rev. 3:20; John 1:12). Other people have good things to give us, and we need to “open wide our hearts” to them (2 Cor. 6:11–13). Often we will close our boundaries to good things from others, staying in a state of deprivation. Boundaries 101 Dr Henry Cloud

We need to keep things that will nurture us inside our fences and keep things that will harm us outside. In short, boundaries help us keep the good in and the bad out. They guard our treasures (Matt. 6:19–20) so that people will not steal them. They keep the pearls inside and the pigs outside (Matt. 7:6).

Boundaries 101 Dr. Henry Clod

Keep, guard and protect your heart with His Word. Remind yourself daily of His Principles and Ordinances. Set your heart on Christ. Set your affections on Him. Let your heart crave the things of Christ. Crucify the flesh and surrender to Christ in every area of your life. 

There’s a difference between guarding your heart and hardening your heart. When you’re actively keeping and guarding your heart — you are making a conscious decision to yield to the Word of God. When your heart is hardened — you are choosing to respond to the cares of this world out of your own strength. Fear will harden your heart. Fear will entangle your heart. Fear will keep you in bondage. Choose to cast your cares upon Christ. 

‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭5:7‬ ‭KJV‬‬ declares, “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.” Choose to cast your cares, fears, worries and anxieties upon the Lord. Release your burdens over to Christ. Don’t let the weight of the world weigh you down. Put on His armor and give your burdens over to