“Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” (Prov 4:23)
I was out for a walk recently with Lilly, my little Yorkie companion, when the recycle truck pulled up beside us. Lilly started barking as soon as he turned the corner and headed our way. She doesn’t like loud noises, and the recycle truck was anything but quiet.
The driver called to me from the cab of his truck. His daughter wanted a Yorkie, and seeing that I had one with me, he thought he’d stop and find out if they make good pets. Of course, my answer was yes, even though I had to compete with the noisy truck and Lilly’s wild barking to be heard.
“In fact,” I said, holding the leash taut and gesturing to Lilly, “they are extremely loyal and protective.”
He laughed and agreed. He drove on, and we continued our walk. But Lilly’s protective instincts, in this and many other situations, made me think about how we as Christians are to guard our hearts.
When the Bible refers to the heart, it is most often referring to our thoughts. Our thoughts control our attitudes, and our attitudes dictate our actions.
So how can we guard our hearts as the Bible instructs?
Consume Positive Media
Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, I realized my mindset was being affected by the media I consumed. I watched the news constantly for updates about the virus and our leaders’ responses to it. I scrolled through Facebook, reading posts and comments from friends deriding each other for their differing behavior and beliefs.
I realized that had to stop. I turned off the news except for just a few minutes a day. I wanted to stay informed but not drown in bad news. I began limiting my time on Facebook.
I chose to read fiction books with positive themes as well as nonfiction Christian living books, which set my mind in the right direction. I wrote about choosing books that renew our minds in a blog post earlier this year, even before the pandemic hit.
When I want to watch TV, I turn on the Hallmark channel. Yes, the movies can be cheesy, but they are light and hopeful, and unlike life, they always have a happy ending.
Consume the Bible
The best way to counter negative thoughts is to take in positive ones. This means consuming the Word of God: “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart” (Heb 4:12).
According to Psalm 119:11, we should hide God’s Word in our hearts. When we do this by memorizing Scripture, the Holy Spirit will bring to mind those helpful verses so that we redirect our focus back to God.
In the Bible, Jesus used God’s Word to counter Satan’s temptation in the wilderness (Mt 4:1–11). By his example, Jesus showed us how to use Scripture to counter negative influences.
Guarding our hearts takes intentional effort. When I catch myself falling down a Facebook rabbit hole (or doomscrolling, as it’s so aptly called), I don’t beat myself up. I simply close Facebook, put my phone away, and pull out a book with a positive message. When I find myself spiraling into anxiety because I’ve watched too much news, I pray and journal to fix my mind back on Jesus. When we make the effort to guard our hearts, we will find Jesus is right there to help us.
Dear Jesus, our world is filled with so much negativity right now. Help us to guard our hearts and keep our thoughts focused on you. Thank you for showing us by your example how to use God’s Word to counter negative influences. Amen.