Diligently Guard Your Heart

Above all else, guard your heart,
   for everything you do flows from it. Proverbs 4:23 (NIV)

Your heart is the core of your being, it is priceless and precious. How you feed your heart, what you think upon, and your attitude affects your heart. You can meditate upon scriptures, think about good things, or you can let your heart become dark, negative, bitter, resentful and poisoned.

Each one of us in life will have to endure difficult times, and some of us will have to interact with negative and toxic people. It is so important that we keep a running account of positive influences in our life to overcome the heavy stream of negativity.

I have met people who lost control of that very important part of themselves. Instead of being able to focus upon, or even see the blessings around them, they were consumed with the darker aspects of life and overcome by bitterness and resentment toward the world at large. It was as if everything they saw entered them through a dark glass leaving them unable to see any light or goodness around them.

We do not bury our heads in the sand. We realize there is much negativity and much that distresses us in life. It takes effort to stay positive in a negative world. It is no easy task to swim upstream against the heaviness and darkness of this world. Guarding our hearts, praying, focusing upon the Lord, and meditating upon scripture can be the tonic we need to drive away the shadows and free us of the darkness of this present evil age.

Those of us with constant afflictions are even in more danger of getting caught up in negativity and bitterness as our problems and pain come crashing upon us. While it seems like an additional insult that we must fight even harder to overcome darkness and negativity while dealing with other afflictions, we have no choice for we cannot afford to be carried away by shadows that make the heart bitter and toxic.

While it is a challenge to stay positive in a negative world this is exactly what Jesus commands us to do--be lights in the darkness. Set a strong guard over your heart and mind and fill yourself up with Christ and His Holy Spirit and you will overcome the darkness by having a heart filled with light.

Prayer: Dear Lord, darkness assaults us, negativity bleeds into our soul, break through the darkness around us and fill us with Your light and love. Amen.

Karlton Douglas

Copyright 2017