23 Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it *spring* the issues of life. (Proverbs 4:23)
Another version says Guard Your heart.
There’s a difference between guarding your heart & blocking your heart.
Never let a bad past experience initiate you to block future blessings.
For example you’ll hear people say ‘I’ve tried church but it don’t work for me, the last group of people gossiped or hurt me’
That might of been true, but don’t allow that to block your blessings from meeting a group of people that truly love & fear the Lord.
That you can break bread with and fellowship.
This type of language has you trying to block your heart NOT guard it.
Know the difference.
9 “The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it? 10 I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, Even to give every man according to his ways, According to the fruit of his doings. (Jeremiah 17:9-10)
We should never let our heart lead us.
God leads us & we lead our heart.
How to guard our heart?
#1 What you see.
13 And Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever. 14 The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.” (Exodus 14:13-14)
#2 What you hear.
14 But the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and a distressing spirit from the Lord troubled him. 15 And Saul’s servants said to him, “Surely, a distressing spirit from God is troubling you. 16 Let our master now command your servants, who are before you, to seek out a man who is a skillful player on the harp. And it shall be that he will play it with his hand when the [a]distressing spirit from God is upon you, and you shall be well.” ( 1 Samuel 16:14)
23 And so it was, whenever the spirit from God was upon Saul, that David would take a harp and play it with his hand. Then Saul would become refreshed and well, and the distressing spirit would depart from him. (1 Samuel 16:23)
#3 What you think.
7 For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee. (Proverbs 23:7)
#4 What you speak.
34 Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. 35 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things. 36 But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. 37 For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” (Matthew 12:34-37)
#5 Peace Of God
6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7)