Heart Guard

“Above all else, guard your heart for everything you do flows from it.”

Proverbs 24:3

Guarding your heart to me means guarding your thoughts. Your thoughts are the well of life. Whether they are good or bad, your thoughts determine your state of mind, your attitude that eventually leads to your actions.

We’re just talking about our own actions above, then you add your spouse and children to the mix, and the word guard turns into so much more. I picture a Mama bear or Mama hen when I think of guarding the heart of my husband and my children.

As a mother, we need to fight for our peace so we can give 100% to our families.

No one will keep them safe like you will. No one will love, care, and think about all aspects of their well-being like you will. To expect that people will do for you as you do for them, and your children may turn into disappointment and heart break because no matter how much we want to give people the benefit of the doubt, they will let us down.

A mother is nurturing, so it is extremely natural to have room to love and protect our spouse our children our family and friends. There is always space for everyone we love.

When someone comes into your life and seems to demand more than you can offer, that is when the word guard becomes important, and its companion is named boundaries.

I know the bible says to love one another and forgive 70x7.

Finding that fine line of love and forgiveness is possible with God’s grace and mercy sent through his son Jesus.

Along that fine line is where we determine what is necessary to keep our peace. Reminding ourselves that God forgives, and Jesus saves. I can’t save anyone or force them to see things the way I do, because we all see things differently. Again, that is why Jesus alone came to save us.

When I was having a hard time realizing I needed to set boundaries with someone who was taking away from my joy, peace, and ability to stay totally focused on my family I talked to a close friend, who took the time to help me realize that I have done all I can do to reconcile with that person, and the relationship still felt full of tension. It’s hard to be called judgmental and all kinds of things you weren’t trying to portray, especially when you were trying to help.

Maybe they just didn’t need or want my help, and I wasn’t in a place where I could give them what was right for them. It was at that time that I needed to realize that we don’t perceive things the same way, and I needed to guard my heart, create a healthy boundary, and distance myself from that person. Over time we reconciled, but there is still a guard that I keep up, and our relationship is not the same, and although I’m leaving room for it to be better, it is uncomfortable because I don’t want that relationship to take away peace from myself and my family like it has before.

I call it a fine line, because it seems like I am harboring unforgiveness and holding a grudge.

To me it is a necessary boundary that I need to create to guard my heart. I need to be at peace for my family and having a picture of myself with my husband, son, and daughters as my screen saver on every device I have is how I remind myself of my why. Those that love you will understand why you had to draw that fine line, and those that question it are probably reason you had to draw it.

Someone once said,

“Sow a thought, reap a deed. Sow a deed reap a habit. Sow a habit reap a character. Sow a character, reap a destiny.” Never forget who is attached to your destiny, and that is your reason.