Guard My Heart

    I do not know if you face the same struggles.  I do not know if you have the same doubts.  I do not know if you worry about the same things.  I do not know if you have the same longings.  I do not know if you are........like me.  The one thing I do know is that I trust that sharing my innermost thoughts, doubts, and struggles as I continue to strive to be ever closer to our almighty Father, I have one hope: that it will help you in your walk. 
    I recently reached a point where I felt comfortable in my walk with Christ.  I felt comfortable in my role in my Christian community.  I felt comfortable in my life.  Then......something unexpected happened.  A small voice inside me kept saying that something was missing.  It kept telling me that there is more than this.  It kept telling me that there is much more to experience.  At first, I felt this to be my body craving something more, and pushed it away as sin, but it was persistent.  Then, I tried to silence the voice by becoming more involved in church, school, social interaction, etc...  This, muffled, but did not silence the voice.  I prayed night after night for an answer, for help, for something to make me realize what I needed to do.  While reading my Bible, I came across Proverbs 4:23 which says, "Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it."  I read this verse again, and again, and again, and again.  My heart.  That's what was wrong.  I looked for more verses concerning heart and found a TON of references to heart in Scripture.  The main verses that really stood out to me were Proverbs 21:2 "All a man's ways seem right to him, but the LORD weighs the heart," Matthew 15:8 "These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me," and most of all Luke 10:26-28 "'What is written in the Law?' he replied. 'How do you read it?' He answered, 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.' 'You have answered correctly,' Jesus replied. 'Do this and you will live.'"   First, Proverbs tells us that God is most concerned with our Heart.  He knows your heart.  He knows your true heart's intentions.  When you accept Jesus as your Savior, you accept Him into your whole being, but mainly into your Heart.  Jesus even states in Matthew that while certain people may honor Him with what they say, their true hearts are not for Him.  Finally, the most profound of all, God says to love Him with ALL YOUR HEART.  "All" is a very large word.  It encompasses everything that could ever possibly be thought of to do with the subject with which it is being used.  Every facet of your heart should be for God.  Love for Him.  Complete and total love for Him.  Now here is the kicker......is that easy to do?  No.  Personally, I am working everyday to love Him with all my heart.  I know I haven't reached that point, but I am trying everyday to get there.  Jesus offered in John 7 the key to the Christian life.  He says "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink.  Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture said, streams of living water will flow from within him" (37-38).  I first responded to Jesus for the longing in my heart.  Now that I reached this point of confusion, chaos, and constant, ever present spiritual warfare, I realize that my heart is my refuge.  My heart is my greatest asset.  My heart....is His.  I now pay attention to my heart, and I guard it with as best I can.  I guard against complacency, I guard against anger, I guard against anything that will hurt His heart.  I am trying to get from obligation, back to desire.  I desire to know Him.  I desire to serve Him.  I desire Him.


God Bless