DILIGENTLY WATCHING OVER OUR HEART

Proverbs 4:23 (NASB)

[23] Watch over your heart with all diligence, 

For from it flow the springs of life.

Diligence is a character, an attitude, that is essential in this world.  In school we are told to be diligent students.  When we graduate and work, or we put up our own business, we are to be diligent.  In our homes, or with our families, diligence is expected.  What about the Christian life?

What does it mean to be diligent?

According to the Merriam Webster dictionary to be diligent means - “characterized by steady, earnest, and energetic effort : PAINSTAKING”

Shouldn’t this be what describes our Christian life or walk with God?  And yet the “default” attitude of our hearts is to be lax, or relaxed, in our Christianity.  It’s a result of our sinful nature really, for our nature is to please ourselves and our flesh, and not God.  This is why the underlying teaching of God’s Word is really for His people to diligently seek Him and walk after Him.

The proverb above tells us to diligently watch over our heart.  The NIV translates it “guard our heart”.  We are to watch over or guard our hearts diligently. 

How do we diligently guard our hearts?  Let me share a few verses of Scripture to show us how we are to diligently guard or watch our hearts:

Psalms 119:11 (NIV)

[11] I have hidden your word in my heart 

that I might not sin against you.

When we steadily, earnestly and energetically hide God’s Word in our hearts we have a treasure trove of truth, wisdom and guidance that we can easily run to when we face the many challenges of life.  

How much of God’s Word are we hiding in our hearts?  Are our hearts so filled with God’s word that they automatically contradict what the world teaches or tells us?

Colossians 3:1-2 (NASB)

[1] Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. [2] Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. 

Here in this passage the heart and the mind seem to be working hand in hand.  We are to KEEP SEEKING THE THINGS ABOVE, not on earthly things.

How we fail in this area, right?  Most of us have set our hearts and minds on the things of the earth.  And why not, because we are people of the earth.  But this is why we are to be diligent to seek the things above, rather than the things of the earth.

We take pride of spending a few minutes and hours in our “prayer time”, and yet the remaining hours of the day are spent with the news, social media, soap operas, love stories, gossip, etc.

Matthew 6:19-21 (NIV)

[19] “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. [20] But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. [21] For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

We guard our hearts through the treasure that is stored within.  We need to eventually decide what we consider treasure in our hearts - the things of the earth, or the “things” of heaven.  As our Lord tells us - where our treasure is, there will our hearts be also.

So, if in our hearts our treasure is still money, material things, position, enjoyment, etc., then our hearts will be running after these things also.

But when we store treasures in heaven, our hearts are guarded from the lures and temptations of this world, and seek the will of God and the things that glorify His name.

Colossians 3:22-24 (NIV)

[22] Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to win their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord. [23] Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, [24] since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. 

In everything that we do, whether it is in our worldly work (as referred to by Paul in verse 22), or in ministry, we are to work at it WITH ALL OUR HEART.

When we work realizing that what we are doing we are doing for the Lord and not for men, it will set the right attitude and hope, knowing that it is God who is glorified.  It is the Lord Christ we are serving, not man.

Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV)

[5] Trust in the LORD with all your heart 

and lean not on your own understanding;

[6] in all your ways acknowledge him, 

and he will make your paths straight.

We are to watch our hearts daily, every moment of the day, that our trust does not veer to other men, or ourselves, but will be wholly in the Lord.  We are to acknowledge Him in all that we do.

The world subtly brings our heart away from the Lord and to other people or things.  When trouble, sickness, and other things come our way, our hearts are shaken and we fix our trust on other things aside from the Lord.

This is why we are to keep watch over our hearts always, that we remain in His grace and faithfulness everyday.

How essential it is for us to be diligently watching over our hearts.  Or, as the NIV version says:

Proverbs 4:23 (NIV)

[23] Above all else, guard your heart, 

for it is the wellspring of life.

Above all else, above everything else, we are to diligently guard, watch over our hearts, that the life of the Lord may overflow into our lives.