Awhile back, I went to see a movie with my brother and dad. It was one of those male-bonding, testosterone-inducing, action flicks. Shooting, explosions, body parts flying. Arrr!
Yet, when I walked out of the movie, my heart was racing with anxiety. The movie had put me on the edge of my seat and raised my adrenaline to an unhealthy level. I could feel my stomach churning as my hands started getting cold and tingly.
Before I went to the show, I was having a good day, full of peace and confidence. Yet afterwards, I was reaching for my anxiety medicine and facing the onslaught of anxious thoughts that were intruding into my mind.
So many worldly amusements are just not healthy for the mind:
- The adultery and deception on television.
The flesh and lust in beer commercials.
The carnage and destruction in action movies.
The adventure of a fairy-tale romance.
Our hearts are very sensitive. That is how God created them–to be tender. Yet, as we pour the deceit of this world into our hearts, they grow hard and cold, callused to the sensitivity of God.
Proverbs wisely instructs us, “above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life” (4:23).
You should carefully guard what is poured into the wellspring of your soul. Ask God to show anything that is not of him. Ask him to help you guard your heart.
Prayer: Father, reveal to me anything in my heart that is not of you. Enable me to concentrate my time and energy on activities that will glorify you and bring peace to my life. Help me to guard my heart from anything that might contradict your Word or compete with your Lordship.
