You hear the phrase "guard your heart" in a lot of religious circles, or from older (wiser) people who probably know a lot more about love and life than us young people do. I know for myself, in the past, I've accepted what they had to say with a nod and a smile, then went on my way and forgot about it completely. Now I want to share with you my thoughts on how important it really is to remember to guard your heart in every situation (not just romantic relationships), because your heart is a treasure.
Side note: this blog post is for both guys AND girls.
Ok - I am going to attempt to be completely honest and open in this blog post, and for me (with this subject) I don't really care to share much with anyone but the people I know intimately. Nonetheless, I feel like I am supposed to share my recent experience in order to make my point on the subject.
I have never dated anyone (which I am very VERY thankful for; the Lord has really protected me from getting into a lot of unhealthy relationships, and I'll talk more about that later), but I have liked many a man over the years. Liking someone, or feeling attracted to them, is a normal part of life and essential for being human; romance is a gift from God, and one that we should be stewarded well. I can't say that I've approached it correctly in all, or any, of the relationships I've pursued.
When it comes to Jesus, I'm head over heals; with my personality I love to be in love, so obviously my biggest desire is to be in love with the man of my dreams one day as well. When I found myself getting attracted to someone (in the past), I would let that desire and dream for a future relationship almost blind me to God's plan for a future relationship - and that is NEVER good. Recently, I found myself "falling into like", as I enjoy calling it, with someone I met over the summer. I tried to convince myself, and everyone around me, that we were just friends. But we talked every day, sometimes for 3 + hours (almost always late at night). Who was I kidding? I talked to him more than I talked to my best friends, which also kept me from receiving the proper council throughout the whole situation; I would think about him all day, and surf through his photos on facebook. I didn't bother to guard my heart. I had a very dear friend who knew the guy pretty well, who told me a couple times that I really needed to guard my heart, but I just didn't know how to do that - I didn't know what that looked like.
Thankfully (and I say this honestly), God ended it only a month into it. I was upset, but I feel like God gave me a beautiful grace to handle it. He revealed to me how I had not protected my heart throughout the process, at all, and how incredibly important it is. My heart belongs to Jesus and my future husband, not every guy I'm attracted to. My heart is the most valuable thing about me, and it's something that should be treated as such. We don't just hand out our most valuable posessions to every person we pass on the street, right? So why do we do that with our hearts'? It's the same thing.
Our future spouses' and Jesus (the guy who sacrificed His very life for OUR hearts') deserve so much more than just a used organ on our Wedding day! They deserve the very best; a treasure that was guarded and protected specifically with them in mind. Purity isn't purity if the heart isn't kept safe. We can resist temptation all day long, but if our hearts' are bruised and broken over and over again, what's the point? The Word says "Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring fo life. (Prov. 4:23)" Our very life bubbles from within our hearts. Our hearts tell the people around us who we really are, inside and out. Why damage that, or risk breaking it? I'm not saying we shouldn't take risks in love (because love is definitely risky), but we should use wisdom in love.
For me, God's word for my life is clear: He will bring love in it's perfect timing; "...I charge you: Do not arouse or awaken love until it so desires. (Song of Solomon 8:4)" Any love with someone that we could conjure up or imagine, is nothing compared to the love He has in store for us in perfect relationship set up by Him and with Him. He is the perfect Planner. He knows what's best. He will help us, if it is our desire, to guard our hearts' from things that long to take it captive (not just in relationships, but in media and other things as well).
Most people know, or can tell by the way I say and do things, that I long to be married one day. I don't think there's anything more beautiful than the union of marriage. Such a deep, close relationship shared by two people - & then family produced from that beautiful union - it's just so captivating. Something worth waiting for, right? I would think so :)
No comments:
Post a Comment