GUARD YOUR HEART

Our heart is like a garden. What we plant in it will determine what grows. If we plant seeds of faith, hope, and love, we’ll see a harvest of blessings, peace, and joy. But if we let weeds of doubt, bitterness, and negativity take root, they’ll choke out the life God wants us to experience.

The Bible says, “Keep your heart with all diligence” (Proverbs 4:23). That means we have to be proactive. We can’t just let anything and everything into our hearts. We need to be careful about what we watch, what we listen to, and who we allow to influence us. It’s like when you guard a treasure; you don’t let just anyone near it. Your heart is the treasure, and we need to guard it with the same care and diligence.

Psalm 1:1-3 shows how to guard our minds, “Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither—whatever they do prospers.”

When we choose not to walk in step with the wicked, or stand in the way of sinners, or sit in the company of mockers, we are protecting our hearts. We’re not allowing the negativity, the doubt, and the bitterness of the world to take root in us. Instead, we’re delighting in the law of the Lord. We’re meditating on His word day and night, letting His promises and His truth nourish us.

A tree planted by streams of water is constantly nourished. Its roots go deep, and it’s able to withstand the heat, drought, and storm. It consistently bears fruit, and its leaves remain green and vibrant. This is a powerful illustration of what happens when we guard our hearts and delight in the Lord.

So, stay connected to Him, and watch how He transforms every part of your life into a living, thriving testament of His goodness. You have everything you need in Him to be strong, vibrant, and fruitful. Keep delighting in the Lord, and He will continue to make your path prosperous and full of His abundant grace.

Bishop Mesrop Parsamyan