Proverbs 4:23

22
Mar
2023

What Flows From Your Heart?

As our daughters grew up, we emphasized to them the value of saving their money. They would get birthday money or Christmas money, and we would encourage them to save it. We would go to the bank and they would put that money in the bank. We reminded them that they were saving their money to help pay for their college. They had a far off lofty goal that saving money would help pay for their college. When they were young, they did not quite understand what we meant by saving money for college. As they grew and matured, they began to understand what college was. We could have taken them to the store and given them the money so they could spend that money on a trinket that would not stand the test of time. There were some lessons to be learned in that exercise.

They learned saving (keeping), delayed gratification, value of money, goal-setting, planning, preparation, and wants vs. needs.

As we study the book of Proverbs, Solomon has taught us repeatedly that there is great value in listening. He encourages us to listen to those that are wise.

What is it we are supposed to do with these wise words?

“Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flows the springs of life.” (Proverbs 4:23)

We need to keep these words in our hearts. This doesn’t mean that we need to have God’s Word tattooed to our hearts. The word “heart” incorporates our thoughts, our emotions, and our wills. The technical term for these is our cognition, affect, and volition. All of these are considered the components that make up the word “heart” in the Bible.

Solomon is telling us in this verse that that person that we are flows or comes from our hearts. Let’s break this concept down.

There are many circumstances that happen throughout our day. With every circumstance that comes into our paths, we have a thought. With every decision that we have to make, we have a thought. We could list any number of circumstances, but every single circumstance produces a thought- even if you think that there is no thought. Many times from these thoughts an emotion is felt. Now we have a decision to make: how will I act based on this thought and/or this emotion.

The more times you respond the same way to any circumstance, the more your responses become your character.

Let’s say that you just cleaned the house, and in runs the dog with muddy paws. Without even seeming to take time to process everything, you yell at the dog and chase it until you can catch it and wipe off its dirty paws. All of this happened so quickly. A circumstance happened, you had a thought “I just spent 4 hours cleaning the house,” and then you experienced a moment of anger, followed by yelling and chasing. The next time this happens you do the same thing. Eventually, this is who you are. The angry house cleaner.

How did you get this way?

“Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flows the springs of life.” (Prov. 4:23).

What comes out of cup of coffee when you are bumped? Coffee.

What comes out of you, when you are bumped? In other words, when circumstances happen that disrupt what you want, what comes out of you?

The heart is our thoughts, emotions, and wills. What “flows” from you every time you are bumped?

If we do NOT store up the wise Words that God has given to us from His word as Solomon says we are to do, what flows from us WILL NOT be thoughts, words, and actions that reflect God and His Word.

If we store up the wise Words that God has given to us from His words as Solomon says we are to do, what flows from our thoughts, words, and actions WILL reflect God and His Word.

Just as our children saved or kept their money for a future goal in their lives, so we must store up or keep God’s Word in our hearts for the circumstances that are always coming across our path.

From our children’s savings’ accounts flowed money that would pay for college. From your heart will flow, what you have saved up and treasured in it.

Not sure what you are keeping in your heart? Begin to evaluate your responses to the circumstances of life. Ask yourself, “What am I wanting? What am I thinking? What am I feeling?”

Is your response honoring to the Lord? If you are not vigilant in keeping your heart filled with truths from God’s Word, you will live according to the lies of Satan.

“Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flows the springs of life.” (Proverbs 4:23)

Posted by ddykema5@gmail.com in The Seasons of Motherhood, 1 comment
18
Nov
2020

You’re just a water bottle waiting to be squeezed

Last week, we considered our emotions and looking at the cause of them. We determined we needed to ask ourselves a few questions to get at the bottom of what we are feeling.

“What am I thinking? What do I want?”

When emotions surfaced this week, did you consider them and ask yourself these questions? Once you did ask yourself those questions, did you figure out what you were thinking or wanting? Then did you evaluate those thoughts and desires as to whether they were God honoring or self-serving?

We have multiple situations that come into our life every day. Each of these circumstances squeezes us to see what is in our hearts. Just like when you squeeze a water bottle, what comes out? Water. So when the circumstances of life squeeze us, what comes from our hearts? Our emotions are a sure indicator of the person that we are. Our thoughts are an equally sure indicator of the person we are.

“As a man thinks in his heart so is he.”

(Proverbs 23:7)

 

Here’s the thing. We have a choice.

A circumstance happens. We have a thought, whether we realize that thought or not. Then we have an emotion. Then we respond.

Here’s my real life situation that happened this week. I hope you can relate.

I was cleaning our basement. I had the shop vac that I designated for just the basement to get all the bugs and cob webs and clean between the rafters. Then I had my upright vacuum to vacuum the rest of the space.  My husband came downstairs and said, “You have the shop vac down here, what do you need the upright down here for too?” Here’s what I thought, “why is he always doubting me, especially when it comes to cleaning?” My emotions were ones of frustration and even a bit of anger for his comment. So my words followed suit. “Why are you always doubting me?”  Rather than this response, I should have kindly and patiently explained to him what I was doing with both vacuums. Seems like a small and even petty thing, but I want you to understand this concept. I was focusing on me and allowing my selfishness to come out.

Multiple circumstances come into our lives every day. Every day, we are squeezed to see what is in our hearts. What comes out of our mouths or in our actions betrays our thoughts which are exhibited in our emotions.

 

“Guard your heart with all diligence, for from it flows the springs of life.”

(Proverbs 4:23)

 

Every day, we must guard our hearts. When I think of a guard, I think of one who is dressed for battle and always on the alert for danger that may come. Do we dress ourselves every day for battle? We have been given battle gear as stated in Ephesians 6, but we must put it on. There is a requirement for us.

 

Our hearts and our thinking are so susceptible to our selfish desires. What I want does not always line up with what glorifies God. We may even be harmlessly in the basement serving our family by cleaning the basement of all the dead bugs and cob webs that seem to accumulate relentlessly down there, when all of a sudden a simple comment found me focused on me. I had spent that morning reading my Bible and praying. I had spent time riding my bike and quoting verses that I have been memorizing. All recipes for putting on my armor. Yet, there was a gap in my armor, and it showed up in my response.

 

I must relentlessly pursue Christ. I must always be looking to Christ and what He has done for me. I must be keeping my eyes always on the cross, not on myself.

 

I want to always be in the mindset of John the Baptist, “He must increase, but I must decrease.” (John 3:30).

Posted by ddykema5@gmail.com in The Seasons of Motherhood, 0 comments