When it comes to life, it's not always the visible threats that cause the most damage. It's what happens under the surface that often leads to disaster. (Need we mention the Titanic?)
Just like a ship can be sunk by the hidden mass of an iceberg, our lives can be shipwrecked by things happening beneath the surface of our hearts. That’s why learning how to guard your heart is one of the most important skills you can develop as a follower of Jesus.
Why guarding your heart matters
The Bible says, "Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life" (Proverbs 4:23). That’s not just advice—it's a warning.
Imagine you’re holding a cup of coffee when someone comes along and bumps into you, making you spill it everywhere. You might jump to the conclusion that you spilled coffee because the other person ran into you. But here’s what really happened: you spilled coffee because that’s what was in your cup. Whatever’s inside your cup—coffee, tea, Diet Coke—will come out if disturbed.
The same is true for us—whatever’s inside will come out when life rattles us. If we’re not paying attention to what’s going on under the surface, we’re at risk of spilling things like anger, bitterness, and jealousy instead of peace, patience, and kindness—evidence of God’s work in our hearts (Galatians 5:22-23).
What’s in your cup?
The danger isn’t usually what everyone else can see. It’s the hidden fears, insecurities, temptations, and wounds that grow into something much harder to control when left unaddressed.
Jesus pointed to this when he said, "A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. What you say flows from what is in your heart" (Luke 6:45). In other words, your outward behavior is a reflection of your inward health.
Don’t ignore what’s under the surface
No one drifts into a healthy, fulfilling life by accident. Ignoring what’s happening under the surface is what leads us into emotional exhaustion, broken relationships, hidden sin, and spiritual burnout. No amount of pushing feelings under the rug, self-medicating, or pushing through it will get us where we really want to be in life.
Jesus warned us about this too: "The words you speak come from the heart—that's what defiles you. For from the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, all sexual immorality, theft, lying, and slander" (Matthew 15:18-19).
Ignoring the deeper issues doesn't make them go away. It just makes the eventual crash that much harder. But here’s the good news: doing the work to guard your heart will pave the way toward the joy, contentment, and hope you’re looking for.
How to guard your heart every day
So how do you guard your heart in real life? Start with these four steps.
1. Pay attention to what's happening inside
Start by noticing and naming what's really going on. Are you carrying around anger? An addiction? Hidden hurt? You can’t heal what you can’t admit. Honesty is the first step to transformation.
2. Invite safe people into your life
You weren't meant to walk through life alone. Surround yourself with people who love God and will help you guard your heart. Vulnerability isn’t a weakness—it's a weapon against isolation.
3. Bring everything to God
You don't have to fix yourself before coming to Jesus. Bring your brokenness, your wounds, your fears—all of it. Here’s what God promises in return: "And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart" (Ezekiel 36:26). Healing starts when hiding ends.
4. Stay alert and surrender daily
Guarding your heart isn’t a one-time decision. It’s a daily practice of staying connected to God, honest with yourself, and surrounded by truth. It’s about surrendering your desires, emotions, and thoughts to God’s care every single day.
Guarding your heart is an act of surrender
How to guard your heart isn’t about building higher walls to keep people out. It’s about staying awake to what's happening within you and inviting God into every part of your life.
Your heart determines the direction of your life. Guard it well.
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If you’ve experienced pain in your life from ignoring your hidden hurts and hang-ups, you might be wondering, “Does my past dictate my future?” Here’s the truth.
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