The Faithful Word: Guarding Our Hearts
When your heart is full of Scripture—when you’re in His Word day and night—the other stuff can’t get in.
The Faithful Word: Guarding Our Hearts
The Bible can encourage and comfort us in these dark and uncertain times. But how can a book do that?
I’m glad you asked!
Several years ago, I was preaching to a group of prison inmates. Another preacher was there, and he spoke first. He preached on this from Philippians: “Guard your hearts.”
As he made his point, one man raised his hand and asked, “How do you do that?” The preacher looked confused. The man asked again, “How do I guard my heart?”
The preacher didn’t know what to say. He knew what they needed to do, but not how to do it. He looked back at me with the word “help!” written all over his face.
I said, “With God’s Word.”
He stepped aside, and I explained that our hearts are always looking for something to fill them. The world fills our hearts with all kinds of bad stuff—fear, doubt, worry, hatred, jealousy, lust, greed … there’s a lot that can distract us from God.
And then there’s God’s Word. Read the entire passage the preacher was referring to:
Philippians 4:6–7
“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Now, read this verse from Psalms:
Psalm 1:2–3:
“[The blessed man’s] delight is in the law of the LORD, and in His law he meditates day and night.
He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither; and in whatever he does, he prospers.”
The law referred to here is God’s Word. When your heart is full of Scripture—when you’re in His Word day and night—the other stuff can’t get in. But when you never read your Bible, go to church, or listen to good preaching, you’ll keep struggling.
God’s Word protects us from the things that try to knock us down and wear us out. That’s why I’m encouraged—because God has given us a way to protect ourselves.
What are some of the things that most often fill your heart with anxiety or distraction? How regularly are you feeding your heart with God’s Word? What could help you stay consistent?
