Do you believe that because you are an adult, you have more freedom with entertainment choices? Sometimes adults believe we can watch, read, or do whatever we want because we are adults.

Societies set a legal age for certain activities, but that doesn’t mean Christians should follow along. What’s legal in a culture often doesn’t match biblical standards. Each Christian is accountable to God. To please God and for our good, God commands every Christian to guard our hearts, no matter the cultural norms.

During my college days, I attended movies that my parents would not have approved. I was away from home, and it was easy to justify the freedom I gained. I was not interested in the Holy Spirit’s uncomfortable presence. As I kept ignoring His pulls and prods, it became easier to follow the culture.

I learned that unchecked, willful behavior eventually has consequences. Although God forgave me, He left the memory, which informs my decisions about media intake and the company I keep to this day. But it’s more than media intake. Are the people closest to us striving to guard their hearts, too? God cares about the company we keep (I Corinthians 15:33).

The heading of Chapter 4 of Proverbs is “Get Wisdom at Any Cost.” With that heading, we understand God cares about our hearts. God cherishes our spiritual hearts and leaves it to us to shield and protect them.

Proverbs 4:23 – Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.

Are we diligent to guard our hearts? In children’s church, we sang, “Oh be careful little eyes what you see.” We can guard our hearts by protecting and shielding them from bad influencers, harmful media, music, and books. There is a world of wholesome and edifying content. Run to the things that lift you above the strife and struggle, and which cause your heart to soar to higher thoughts.

12 Reasons Why We Guard Our Hearts:

1. To intentionally choose purity. You want the Holy Spirit to be at home in your heart (Matthew 5:8, Psalm 51:10).
2. To have a greater desire to meet with God. This desire increases when darkness decreases (Psalm 42:2).
3. To be a good example. Christians are new creations (2 Corinthians 5:17).
4. To use our time wisely since much of the harm to our hearts comes by way of media affecting our eyes and ears (Matthew 13:15).
5. To have a beautiful mind; plus, thinking about “these things” is easier (Philippians 4:8).
6. To decrease anxiety because what we read, watch, and listen to impacts our spirit (I Corinthians 6:12-13, Matthew 6:22-23).
7. To fellowship with God because whatever is filling the mind has our attention. We can’t enjoy God and His presence with distractions (Psalm 16:11).
8. To have a strong mind since our mind is supposed to be used to understand God’s will. It is renewable. The sooner you guard your heart, the sooner you will know all that God has for you to know (Romans 12:1-2).
9. To have more peace by allowing the Holy Spirit to permeate our mind. Anxiety diminishes and joy increases (Romans 8:6).
10. To lose the desire for the things of this world. Greed will decrease. Our eyes will be opened to all God gives us straight from His loving heart (1John 2:15-17).
11. To have a filter for what comes out of our mouth. If we aren’t guarding our heart, then our mind is not the mind of Christ (2 Corinthians 2). If our mind is dark, then our mouth will reveal it (Matthew 15:18).
12. To have godly wisdom to share with our children and grandchildren, and friends (Proverbs 1:8-9).

We won’t be perfected until Jesus comes again, but we must strive for Christlikeness and to bring glory to Him with our lives. Everyday choices show that we care about our relationship with Him. Without comparing ourselves to anyone, we can guard our hearts. Now that we know why, let’s diligently practice ways that guard our hearts.

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©Valerie Rumfelt