One of my daughter’s favorite verses is Proverbs 4:23: Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life.
We all MUST watch and keep guard over our hearts. Our physical hearts are designed for the flow of life’s blood. Our spiritual hearts are designed for the flow of God’s Living Waters in our soul.
Now on the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.[1]’”
Our hearts were designed for Living Water, the presence of God by His Holy Spirit. Only His presence will completely satisfy our thirsty souls, but too often we settle for temporal, false affections. In confusion, we can pursue worldly passion to satisfy the deep longings of our hearts. We can spend our lives searching down “promising” paths which only disappoint, disillusion and dishearten.
With all diligence we must tend to our hearts.
Through Jeremiah, the Lord spoke of the human tendency to reject Him, the source of Living Water and settle for dry and dusty mirages, “For My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, The fountain of living waters, To hew for themselves cisterns, Broken cisterns That can hold no water.”[2]
Without realizing it, we can waste our lives on broken cisterns which promise to fulfill but leave us dying of thirst.
A few years ago, my bride gave me one of those small statues with no face. Maybe you’ve seen them. Perhaps the lack of features allows us to identify with the characters. This one is a boy tenderly cradling his heart. I love it. It speaks to me on so many levels. It reminds me not to allow false affections to produce broken cisterns.
In addition to guarding my heart against idols, I’m also learning to come to terms with what I’m feeling. Over the years, I’ve not always known what to do with extreme feelings of rejection, fear and sadness. Rather than dealing with them, I tend to deny their gravity so I can continue to function. After all, responsibilities don’t slow down when we’re experiencing deep emotional pain.
But denying emotional pain isn’t wise. When I ignore hard feelings, parts of my heart become crusted over and deadened, leaving me less compassionate and less sensitive to God’s leading.
I’m learning to tend my heart in times of deep emotions; calling the God of all Comfort near in every situation. God’s Rivers of Living Water bring His Oil of Gladness to soothe and heal deadened synapses deep with my heart. The presence of God brings unexplainable Cheer, even in the hardest of times. Sometimes the pain lingers, but Joy remains, infusing courage.
Our hearts must be tended. We need to be on constant guard against false affections. We must be aware of what we’re feeling so that God’s Spirit can bring Truth and Comfort.
I like the NIV version of my daughter’s verse: Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.
Above all else.
Prayer
Lord, above all else. This seems important. I know from experience that the diligence needed to keep, to guard, to tend to my heart, must come from you. To keep my heart from being trapped by false affections, wearied from creating broken cisterns and deadened from denying pain, I need You. I know You’re always with me. Please remind me to tend my heart and be my strength to remain vigilant. Amen.
[1] John 7:37-38 (NASB)
[2] Jeremiah 2:13 (NASB)
Joy in the Journey is about the gladness of God’s nearness in the midst of life’s adventures. Subscribe below to get email notifications of new posts. We post once a week. Thank you for reading.
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