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“Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” Proverbs 4:23. How often do we think about guarding our heart? What exactly does this even mean?

Well, to guard something means to watch over it in order to protect or control. In basketball you guard your opponent to keep them from scoring. In football you guard your quarterback and teammates to keep them from getting sacked or tackled or even hurt. In battles you guard numerous things to keep the enemy from gaining access or control.

The whole concept of guarding is taking the necessary precautions to protect from any harm. We should desire to protect, secure, defend, shield and cover our heart from harm of things that desire to break or destroy.

Throughout the Bible we see people guarding the king, 1 Samuel 26, guarding your word and covenant, Deuteronomy 33, asking God to guard your life, Psalm 86, guard your steps to make sure you live as God desires, Ecclesiastes 5, and many more items.

Throughout the New Testament we see Jesus and the apostles enforcing the idea to “be on your guard” against evil, against sin, against anything to try and rob your faith. Why? Because if we are not guarding — we can easily be overtaken. If we allow negativity to creep in we are setting ourselves up for failure. If we allow the devil to whisper softly in our ear he slowly reaches for our heart and mind trying to overtake us. Peter warns us in 2 Peter 3:17 to “be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of the lawless and fall from your secure position.” When we get comfortable or when we allow those soft whispers to settle, our heart becomes open for things which will eat at us and rip us away from faith, from love, from God. Guard your heart.

In the Old Testament we see God’s people leaving Egypt and heading toward the Promised Land. Excitement was rampant when they first began — but then through time and trials — they let their guard down. Through grumbling, complaining, fear, doubt, negativity, and more they allowed those soft whispers to creep in their minds and keep them from entering the Promised Land.

Their enemies couldn’t stop them. The devil couldn’t stop them. So he whispers in their ear and then they stopped themselves. Guard your heart. Guard your mind. Guard your steps. Guard your eyes. Don’t allow little things keep you from getting active in your faith and living for God. Don’t listen to the whispers. “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” Proverbs 4:23. #bethegood.

Rev. J. Cameron Bailey is pastor of Kenbridge Christian Church. He can be reached at jamescameronbailey@gmail.com.