Heart Guarding

I have been thinking about the attributes that I would need to be diligent in for me to effectively guard my heart. I was pleasantly surprised that the words I used to come up with when I was younger are no longer in my thought process about guarding my heart. I am proud that through some maturing, my desire to isolate, block, battle, and build a wall is not there anymore. Those things were formerly the most important when guarding my heart. I remember when I was a teen I would mentally build a wall brick by brick around my heart. Here are my bricks in guarding my heart. I will do it:

Prayerfully

Mindfully

Giving-ly

Protectively

Discerningly

Tenderly

Gracefully

Lovingly

When I started to consciously guard my heart I remember it typically being a reactionary measure to being hurt. Because I was more tender-hearted then it was easier, my barrier was much softer, thinner. In retrospect I see that I was a kind hearted child, not perfect but kind, gentle, nice. I specifically remember crying because the mean ghosts didn’t want to play with Casper, heartfelt tears. Why did they treat him so badly? I remember my Aunt Dulu having to help me process through why these kids were being so mean to such a sweet guy. He only wanted to play with them. Now that I am older I see that the tests and trials I endured that came closest to making me quit were the direct attacks on my heart. It seemed like the biggest trials sought to make me bitter-hearted, angry-hearted, hard-hearted. The after effects of these hurts impact not only how I feel internally but how I treat, interact and love the people around me. Thinking about that made it evident to me, for my life, the heart is where it is at.

In my research I gathered some nuggets of wisdom:

Three reasons for guarding your heart:

1. Your heart is extremely valuable. Your heart is the essence of who you are. It is your authentic self—the core of your being. It is where all of your dreams, your desires and your passions live. It is the part of you that connects with God and other people. The value of your heart should be above any tangible thing. We protect valuable things so….Guard your heart.
2. Your heart is the source of everything you do.  Your heart overflows into thoughts, words and actions. Proverbs 4:23 (Expanded Bible - EXB) Be careful what you think [Above all that you guard, protect your heart], because your thoughts run your life [life flows from it]. I believe your heart is the seat or source of your intentions. That pretty much drives EVERYTHING so…. Guard your heart.
3. Your heart is always under attack.  The enemy uses all kinds of weapons to attack our hearts. These attacks can come in the form of circumstances that lead to disappointment, discouragement, pain, heartbreak, breakdown. We have to guard our hearts so that we are not tempted to give up when we are under these attacks, living through these situational changes. We have to be strong enough to continue in love and faith in God so…. Guard your heart.

Our hearts are invaluable, priceless, precious. We cannot serve, we cannot receive or give love, we cannot receive or give of ourselves genuinely and we cannot be sincere except from our hearts. We also cannot be happy or live joyous, victorious lives without our hearts being in the right place. The heart – the core of our intentions – drives what we say, what we really think, and ultimately what we do. That’s EVERYTHING. Of course the enemy should start there if he wants to destroy you so... Guard your heart. 
 

We are to not be swayed away from our purpose when we are faced with situations that cause us to need to guard our hearts. If we fortify our hearts in prayer, genuine love, unselfish acts of kindness (without the need for gain or to be seen) then we will be consciously building our hearts. To consciously guard our hearts we have to be conscious that we are actually doing it.  Guard your heart.

A Heart that Hopes

A Heart that Hopes

This has been an emotionally difficult time for me. Last night was the worst night but lately I have been feeling spiritually heavier than usual. I know that it is mainly because my mind is moving a mile a minute. I have been trying to deepen my introspection, search my intentions, evaluate my thoughts more critically, etc. In the attempt to be more thoughtful I am becoming more observant. I am noticing subtleties, slights, patterns, words… I am emotionally sensitive, not in a whiny bratty way, just perceptive. I know that I am already prone to be empathetic but the feelings that come from others have been more overwhelming than usual because I am processing through my own issues and needs. I have been keeping to myself more and I can say that it is making me more prayerful which is NEVER a bad thing but nevertheless it is still a little rough.

All I can say is thank God for hope.

With life coming at me full speed like a locomotive through all trials, issues, hardships I find that hope is like the brightest of lights at the end of all tunnels. I can honestly say that without faith and hope I would be lost.

Hope basically means a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen or want of something to happen or be the case. There are 144 bible verses with the word hope in them. In my research I found the following extract:

"Hope can sustain one through trials of faith, human tragedies or difficulties that may otherwise seem overwhelming. Hope in Hebrews 6:19 KJV is seen as "an anchor of the soul". Hebrews 6:19-20 in The Message version states: We who have run for our very lives to God have every reason to grab the promised hope with both hands and never let go. It’s an unbreakable spiritual lifeline, reaching past all appearances right to the very presence of God where Jesus, running on ahead of us, has taken up his permanent post as high priest for us."

WOW!!! To me that means that no matter the situation, no matter how things look or even how they feel, we are to hold tight to our hope in God and never let go. That hope is our "unbreakable spiritual lifeline". This is the most wonderful thing I have read all week.

In my heart, hope is like a constant, persistent whisper. My mind complains but then the hope that resides in my heart whispers: Cat, try again... You can do it... Cat, get up and do better... Don’t give up, you’re getting stronger... God has your back... Trust in God for this... You will make it... There are times when my overactive imagination drowns out the whispers and they are just a humming sound in the undercurrent, but that hope is always present.

My hope is persistent, not because of me but because of God. My faith is in God’s omnipotence and in knowing that His power can overcome anything. My hope isn’t riding on my ability or my knowledge or my power, but in God’s. I am so glad that I do not have to rely solely on myself because I am an utter mess. My hope is built on the foundation of God’s track record. He has never failed nor forsaken me. I believe that a heart that hopes in God cannot be destroyed.