You have heard people say, “I didn’t mean it; It wasn’t from my heart.”
We have all said and done things that we regret.
I know I have. And I had to apologize and ask for forgiveness.
Proverbs 4:23 (NIV) says, “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.”
Some people may take issue with the word ‘everything.’ To be clear, the verse says that ‘everything’ we do flows from the heart. The heart gives life to everything we do. Thinking and acting out thoughts and ideas require a heart and spirit.
Priority one in life is to have a clean and pure heart.
The heart and mind are in sync. What’s in the mind will flow through the heart. If we guard the mind, we are also defending the heart and visa-versa.
The heart gives spirit and breath to every utterance and deed.
That’s why we need a gatekeeper to direct our thoughts. This gatekeeper is the Holy Spirit who helps us to filter our thoughts.
When someone dwells on evil thoughts, evil can become a part of their spirit or heart. The Holy Spirit keeps the heart clean from sinful thoughts or ideas.
A thought has no intent until it receives life through the spirit and heart.
We think thousands of thoughts an hour and tens of thousands of inklings per day. We don’t have time to process all the thoughts that come into our brains, even the good ones. Thank God we don’t give some ideas much thought, especially unsavory thoughts. Many thoughts disappear as quickly as they appeared.
Have you ever tried to think about nothing? This is almost impossible, right?
The Bible tells us to think on things that are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, and good. And these virtues will flow from the heart.
What about people who give others a ‘piece of their mind’? From my experience, this isn’t a good thing. Again, the heart gives breath to the tongue lashing or ill-intended deed.
What dwells in the mind or what lingers in the spirit takes root and becomes a part of the individual. Stuff in the heart affects conversations, attitudes, beliefs, actions, and everything else.
Have you ever asked, why did I think that? Why did I do that?
An unknown author 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.”
This is true.
Deeds become habits that form character, which determines destinies.
Manifest a spirit and heart of love.
Pray for pure thoughts and a clean heart.