MOTIONS OF THE HEART

“As a man thinks in his heart, so is he”. Proverbs 23:7

Our text is only ten words long and as powerful as any word of God to completely turn your life around forever.

Have ever heard someone, or even yourself, say "Why do I say these things?" "Why do I do these things?" "Why do I end up with this kind of person or that kind of relationship?" The Bible teaches that there is something about the way we think that defines us and what we attract. Our own thoughts and confessions become self-fulfilling prophesies!

Jesus said, a person’s life is harmed not by what goes into their mouth, but by that which comes out of it, which itself is the overflow of the content of the person’s heart (Matt 15:10-11, 15-20).

What direction our hearts tend towards, the rest of our lives will gravitate towards is the unmistakable conclusion of the scriptures! Consequently, if we desire changes in our lives, we should start by changing the content of our hearts – what we think and thus believe about ourselves, and indeed about God and the people around us.

If it’s that simple, why is there so little enthusiasm? Several reasons – denial, reluctance, excuses, blame, to name a few. But mostly, because the need has not become imperative; the stakes are not high enough.

How important is it for you to think the thoughts God thinks about, to think in an empowering and life-changing way? To think differently is to believe differently and change your confessions. Literally, you change your world!

You are what you think...!

GUARD YOUR HEART

“Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.” (Proverbs 4:23, NIV)

The Condition of our heart reflects the kind of thoughts we’ve been focusing on and what we have come to believe about our situations and ourselves? The vital position our heart occupies as the battle ground for conflicting thoughts and beliefs that can potentially rule our lives for good or not, makes urgent the challenge to “guard your heart above all else”.

Protect, maintain, or watch over your heart “above all else” suggests that protecting our hearts ought to be a primary objective for living an overcoming life. Furthermore, our passage for reflection suggests that, left exposed, your heart will be influenced in a way that does not allow it to be “the wellspring of life” – it fails to be edifying and empowering.

The things that we ought to guard against when watching over our heart will usually gain access through our eyes by the things we see and and our ears by what we hear (generally through our senses). Therefore, choose carefully what you pay attention to – filtering out the things that have the potential to ruin the condition of your heart.

Ultimately, anything you allow to sit in your heart unchallenged will eventually control your life by shaping your thinking and your belief. So it is without hesitation that you should uproot every unwholesome thoughts and beliefs by the power that is work in you (Eph 3:20).

Endeavour to maintain your heart in good condition – whatever is true, ...noble, ...right, ...pure, ...lovely, ...admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things (Phil 4:8).