“Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.”
(Proverbs 4:23)
Like a fresh, pure spring brings life to all who drink from it, a heart that is pure before God produces godly attitudes and actions. But if that spring is polluted, if it is clogged with filth, then everything downstream suffers. The same is true of the human heart—a heart full of sin, pride, and selfishness corrupts the words and actions that flow from it, poisoning everything in its path.
“A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.” (Luke 6:45)
Scripture repeatedly warns us to guard our hearts—but what does that mean? How do we watch over our hearts in a way that pleases God?
The Bible often speaks of the heart in connection with our thoughts and desires. Proverbs 23:7 says, “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he.” And Job 17:11 mentions “the thoughts of my heart,” and in Genesis 6:5, God describes the state of humanity before the flood: “Every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.”
Our thoughts govern our life. They shape our words, guide our choices, and reveal our true affections. A mind filled with truth and righteousness produces a holy life, but a mind consumed with sin leads to destruction. This is why watching our heart means guarding our thoughts.
And how do we do this? By saturating our minds with Scripture.
God’s Word is our greatest weapon against sinful thoughts. It is “quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword,” (Heb. 4:12). It is the same weapon Christ used when He was tempted in the wilderness (Matt. 4). When we dwell on Scripture, we renew our minds (Rom. 12:2) and transform our thinking to be in line with God’s will.
We cannot entertain two opposing thoughts at the same time. If we fill our minds with thankfulness and Scripture, there will be no room for sinful thoughts to linger. This is what it means to “bring every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,” (2 Cor. 10:5).
Andrew Gray put it well: “Do not let evil thoughts enter, or if they enter, do not let them abide in your heart. Dislodge them and do not allow good thoughts to depart and vanish, but cherish and entertain them.”[1]
So watch your heart. Fill it with truth. Guard it against sin. And with your life, you will honor and adore your God (Prov. 4:23).
Contemplations:
- Guarding My Heart. Lord, do I take seriously the command to guard my heart? Do I examine my thoughts and desires in light of Your Word or do I allow sinful attitudes to take root in my heart? Give me diligence to protect my heart from anything that would dishonor You.
- The Power of My Thoughts. Father, Your Word teaches that my thoughts shape my life. Am I filling my mind with what is pure and good or do I entertain thoughts that weaken my faith and dull my love for You? Help me replace every sinful thought with the truth of Your Word.
- Using Scripture to Fight Temptation. Jesus, You defeated Satan’s temptations by speaking the Word of God. Help me remember to rely on Scripture as You did instead of trying to fight sin in my own strength. Teach me to wield Your Word as my greatest weapon against sin.
- Bringing Every Thought Captive. Lord, I know that I cannot think on truth and lies at the same time. So when I am tempted, help me actively and immediately replace sinful thoughts with thoughts that honor You. Strengthen my resolve to take every thought captive for Your glory.
- Delighting in God’s Word. Father, Your Word is my source of life. But do I delight in it as I should? Do I long to meditate on it daily? Make my heart hunger for Your truth, that I may be filled with wisdom and grace.
Prayer:
O Lord, You have commanded me to guard my heart, for it is the wellspring of my life. Yet, how often do I allow sinful thoughts, selfish desires, and worldly distractions to take root? I’m ashamed of how easily I let my mind wander from You.
Father, I confess that I am often careless with my heart. I allow thoughts of bitterness, envy, pride, and lust to linger far too long. Forgive me, Lord! Create in me a clean heart, and renew a right spirit within me (Ps. 51:10).
Teach me to watch my thoughts with diligence. Let me be quick to dislodge evil and cherish what is good. May the light of Your Word fill my mind so completely that there is no room for darkness.
Help me take every thought captive and make it obedient to Christ. Let my mind be renewed daily so that I may discern what is good, acceptable, and perfect in Your sight.
Above all, Lord, give me a heart that delights in You. Let my greatest joy be to meditate on Your truth, to walk in obedience, and to glorify Your name in all that I do.
May my heart be a fountain of life, not a source of corruption. And may my life be a reflection of Your holiness, for the glory of Christ my Savior.
In His precious name,
Amen.
Further References for Proverbs 4:23:
Psalm 119:11; Philippians 4:8; Matthew 12:34; 2 Corinthians 10:5; Romans 12:2.
[1] Andrew Gray, A Door Opening to Everlasting Life, eBook, (Coconut Creek, FL: Puritan Publications 2013) section on watchfulness under treatise 2.
