Imagine watching someone you love drift further away—not just from you, but from God. It starts small: a distraction here, a temptation there. Before long, their heart is hardened, and the life you built together feels like a distant memory. This is why the Bible emphasizes the importance of guarding your heart.
“Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it“ (Proverbs 4:23)
This verse isn’t about closing your heart off from people or building walls to keep everyone out. Instead, it’s about protecting your heart from the things that slowly chip away at it—distractions, temptations, and misplaced priorities. When we fail to guard our hearts, the results often spill over into every area of life, including our marriages, our families, and our faith.
1. Life’s Challenges: Draw Closer or Pull Away
Life is full of moments that either draw us closer to God or push us away. I’ve seen people face unimaginable losses—losing a loved one, financial devastation, or major setbacks—and their responses were drastically different. Some leaned into God, finding peace and strength that carried them through. Others pulled away, even blaming God for their pain.
Why do similar situations produce such different outcomes? Because the condition of the heart matters. A guarded heart anchored in God can withstand storms, while a neglected heart is easily overwhelmed. When life gets hard—or even when it’s good—it’s easy to let our guard down.
Ask yourself: Am I moving closer to God or further away? The answer reveals where your heart truly stands.
2. Money: A Blessing or a Trap?
Money is one of the greatest tests of the heart. It’s not hard to tithe 10% when you’re making $3,000 a month. But when your income grows, so does the temptation to hold back. Suddenly, that same percentage feels enormous, and generosity is replaced with justification.
We start to believe the lie that we’re self-made. We chase success, work longer hours, and let our relationships take a backseat. Before we know it, our families feel neglected, and our connection with God feels distant.
Guarding your heart against the lure of money isn’t about avoiding wealth—it’s about keeping God first. Success is a blessing, but it can easily become a trap if we lose sight of the Giver. No paycheck is worth the price of a broken family or a neglected faith.
3. Lust: The Silent Marriage Killer
Lust doesn’t announce itself loudly; it sneaks in quietly and destroys everything in its path. It starts small—a lingering glance, a casual thought, or a belief that “it’s not hurting anyone.” But every indulgence plants a seed in your heart, and over time, that seed grows into dissatisfaction.
Pornography, for example, may seem harmless to some, but it poisons your marriage. It distorts intimacy and chips away at your connection with your spouse. Each time you engage, you build a wall of discontentment between you and your partner. Your spouse begins to feel like a burden, while others start to catch your eye.
Or perhaps it’s an emotional connection with someone else. You lean on them instead of your spouse, confiding in them when things get tough. They tell you what you “deserve,” and suddenly, the grass starts to look greener on the other side.
But here’s the truth: the grass is greener where you water it. Invest in your marriage. Guard your heart, not just for your own sake, but for the health of your relationship. Protect your connection with your spouse by staying vigilant against the small cracks that can turn into deep divides.
4. Bitterness: The Hardening of the Heart
When we fail to guard our hearts, bitterness can take root. Pain and disappointment, left unchecked, harden our hearts. We start blaming God, others, or life itself. Before long, we lose our compassion and joy.
Some people mistake this bitterness for guarding their hearts. They build walls to keep others out, believing it will protect them from being hurt again. But the Bible doesn’t call us to isolation; it calls us to protection. A guarded heart relies on God, not walls, for strength and healing.
Bitterness is a thief. It robs you of the joy and connection God intends for your life. If you find bitterness creeping in, it’s time to reevaluate. Ask God to soften your heart and restore your peace.
5. Staying Focused on God
Satan loves to distract us. He knows that a distracted heart is a vulnerable heart. Whether through busyness, temptations, or challenges, his goal is to pull us away from God. When we lose focus, everything else—our marriage, our family, our purpose—suffers.
The good news is that we have a choice. We can ask God to help us stay focused. Pray for the strength to prioritize Him in all things. Ask Him to help you keep your marriage and family at the forefront of your life. When God is first, everything else falls into place.
A Hopeful Close
Guarding your heart isn’t about living in fear of what might hurt you; it’s about staying close to the One who heals you. It’s an intentional choice to protect what matters most—your relationship with God, your marriage, and your purpose.
If you feel your heart drifting, take it as a sign to realign your focus. Ask God to restore your priorities, renew your joy, and anchor your heart in Him.
As Proverbs 3:5-6 reminds us:
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.”
With God at the center of your life, your marriage, and your heart, you can face any challenge with peace and confidence. Remember, a guarded heart isn’t a closed heart—it’s a heart open to God’s guidance and protection. Let Him lead, and watch as your life flourishes in ways you never imagined.
Living a God-Inspired Life,
Chris