Is your heart feeling heavy and hesitant because you’ve opened it up only to have it mistreated? Or are you cautious, unsure whether to let others in? Perhaps you’re wrestling with how much of yourself to give in relationships and situations. Or maybe you are wondering why the Bible instructs us to guard our hearts? In this article, I’ve gathered wisdom from the Bible to guide you in guarding your heart—not by closing it off, but by protecting it while keeping it open to love, faith, and hope.
In the Bible the heart is the essence of who we are. To guard your heart is to choose how external and internal factors will influence your core self. Guarding your heart is the process of reaching closer to God and becoming everything you can be. Internally, you must protect your heart by striving to be your best self; by nurturing the goodness inside you, by turning from sin. Externally, you must be careful about what you allow to influence you. You must choose who you allow close and what messages you take to heart. Guarding your heart is not a sign of weakness, it is a sign that you recognize the importance of your heart, that you value the life God has given you, and that you are selective about who and what will be permitted to influence you.
In this article, we’ll discuss what it means to guard your heart, why it is important, and steps you can take to ensure your heart is open and ready for good things to come while being fortified against harmful influences.