"Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life."
This verse comes from the book of Proverbs, verse 23. For a long time, I thought that the primary application of this text was for single people. Prior to marriage, people were always saying to "guard your heart" in relationships with the opposite sex. After all, I wasn't supposed to let anyone into my heart until they had fully earned my trust. Intimacy was to be saved until a firm, committed relationship was established.
Very well. That definition of "guarding" one's heart served me well for many years. As singles, men and women certainly should be guarding their hearts, though not hardening them, in their interactions with the opposite gender. It's when we don't guard our hearts that issues like heartache and other unplanned consequences arise.
I've been learning, however, in the brief 14 1/2 months that I have been a married woman, that this verse has universal applications. In fact, I believe that the meaning it now holds in my life is far more significant than the former.
I must guard my heart so that my faithfulness to my husband is not hindered. The devil sometimes tries to get a foothold in my life by bringing to my memory people that I knew in the past. Perhaps these are people with whom I had a romantic relationship or simply an innocent friendship.
He starts to shrewdly whisper into my ear, "What could have been? Am I really following God's plan for my life? Did I make a mistake?" He taunts me with dreams of the past or some imaginary future. Sometimes I am tempted to indulge in these hopeless fantasies, but I have realized that doing so would only undermine my marriage.
I have married a wonderful man. It's a done deal, and there's no turning back. Even if it was a mistake (which I absolutely do not believe; God clearly ordained our union), it matters not. What matters is that I have entered into a covenant relationship with the man of my dreams. I am called to love and respect him until death do us part, and I intend to hold to my end of the bargain.
God is calling me to guard my heart. If thoughts of the past enter my head, I must, I must, I must reject them. To entertain them at all is to allow seeds of unfaithfulness to fester that could eventually throw a fatal blow to our marriage.
And the only way that this will be possible is to draw on the strength of God. If I live by the flesh, I will fail, but the Lord will sustain me in my weakness.
"for when I am weak, then I am strong"
4 comments:
Hi! I found your blog through the blogroll at Making Home. Your post is so similar to a friend's new blog that I had to comment - and refer you to hers: www.juliemcormond.blogspot.com
Well stated Christie - I get the same feelings sometimes where I question the path I've taken and my previous choices/relationships, but I just remember that we've taken our vows and we are together for life. If I ever get down, I think about all the special 'quirky' things I have with my husband that could never be replaced by anyone else, and how he knows me better than anyone else in the whole world.
I also feel the same way sometimes about other paths I've taken in life - through school, career, family, friends, etc, and I wonder if I'm where I should be, and if I could be happier if I'd done things differently. If I had done things differently, I wouldn't be where I am today, and I think I sometimes need to remind myself that I love where I am today.
Love,
Rachel
PS - I love reading your blog - it's so relate-able, and it gives me a lot to think about! You do a great job!
Isn't it good to know that us women are not alone in our struggles? Since writing this post, I have started reading "Every Woman's Battle," which I am hoping will shed further light on how other women handle temptation in a God-honoring way.
Christie- Thanks for having a blog. :) I thoroughly enjoy every time I read a post. You're a thinker. Praise Jesus for Christie and His Word. :) Jesus loves you.
I love you!
Jenny
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