You heart and your head are deeply connected.
Jesus offers this on the power of our thinking in Matthew 15:18-19, “But the things that come out of a person’s mouth come from the heart, and these defile them. For out of the heart come evil thoughts—murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander.”
Your heart is the well of your soul. Fill your well with goodness and truth. Protect it from poison and lies. You cannot draw life-giving truth from a well filled with poison.
Solomon states in Proverbs 4: 23, “Guard your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.” How well are you guarding your heart and monitoring what finds its way there? What are you filling your heart with?
Lastly, Paul exhorts us in Philippians 4:8-9, “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. And the God of peace will be with you.” There is a direct connection between your thought life and your peace. Paul says in 2 Corinthians 10:5, “We take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” Don’t let negative and sometimes untrue thoughts run free in your mind and heart. Not only do we need to protect our hearts, we must also protect our minds.
When you are at peace with you heart, you can take up the mantle of discipleship.
Mental, and emotional self-control is at the heart of discipleship. One of the fruits of the spirit is self-control. Ask God to give you greater self-control so that you can follow him by faith.
Matthew 16:24 Then Jesus told his disciples, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 25 For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it. 26 For what will it profit them if they gain the whole world but forfeit their life? Or what will they give in return for their life?"
Take up your cross today and follow Jesus. Take the path less traveled.
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