Guard Your Heart

from Beautiful Word Devotional, published by Zondervan

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

Have you ever said something and wondered where that comment came from? Or maybe an idea crossed your mind that you wouldn’t tell your best friend about — and exactly where did that come from? Or maybe you did something completely out of character and ask yourself, What was I thinking? We read in Proverbs that everything — our words, our thoughts, our choices, our decisions, our priorities — comes from our hearts. When a heart is full of God’s love, beautiful words and ideas flow from it. Are you paying attention to your heart?

The wise writer of Proverbs warned us to guard our hearts. We need to protect our hearts against bitterness, impatience, and greed, against jealousy, idolatry, and anger. These traits will overtake our hearts if we let them. We must also guard our hearts against unsafe people, unhealthy relationships, and ungodly activities and entertainment.

Protect your heart so that beautiful words, ideas, and actions flow from it, for your good and God’s glory!

Lord, please show me where I need to protect my heart, amen.
 

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Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. — Luke 11:9

Consider the exciting implications of what Jesus said here: if you have needs, ask your generous Father to meet those needs, and he will grant your request. God will answer, but sometimes, His answers don’t make sense to us, or we grow tired of waiting for Him to answer. We come to the conclusion that God is either deaf to our cries, or He simply has better things to do than to grant our requests. Prayer is more than asking for stuff, though. It’s spending time with God. And as you spend time with Him, you’ll begin to develop His heart for others.

Suddenly you’ll find that you’re not asking for a list of things you want, but you’re asking that His will would be done just as it is in Heaven. And His will could mean His saying no to a request you have.

Trust that God knows exactly what’s best for you. Choose to trust His answers to your prayers.

Lord, I want what You want for me. Please have Your way in my life, amen.

 Trust that God knows exactly what’s best for you. Choose to trust His answers to your prayers. — Beautiful Word Devotional