“Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it,” (Proverbs 4:23, NIV).
Anytime you play a sport, there is always some protective gear you should wear. In football, you have shoulder pads and a helmet. In soccer, you have chin guards and knee pads. In volleyball, you have knee pads too. There are different kinds of sports you can play and different kinds of protective gear designed for each sport.
But what if you didn’t wear any protective gear? You’re going to be more hesitant to engage in the game. The football player would be hesitant to engage in a tackle. The soccer player would be hesitant to fight for the ball head on. A volleyball player will be less likely to dive for the ball. Why? Because they know what can happen. They can get hurt and nobody wants to do that. But, if you wear the protective gear, sometimes you can still be hesitant to engage in the game. You don’t know how well the protective gear will help you or you’ve never tested it out. The more you wear it, the more confident you become, and the more you engage in the game. Then you develop a resistance to any kind of physical contact knowing some things aren’t going to hurt as bad as others.
Anytime you are anxious, have something on your mind, worrying about a particular situation or circumstance, or mulling over in your mind something somebody did to you; you’re not wearing your protective gear. God’s Word is designed to protect your heart and mind. When you bring your concerns to Him, you’re supposed to leave them with Him and believe He will give you what you need to engage in whatever you need to do. But you have to believe it. You can use the protective gear God gives you, but never utilize it for the purpose it was designed for. You can’t just read it and that’s it. You have to remind yourself daily, moment by moment. Every time you are anxious, tell God about it, pray for that person, and His peace will guard your heart and your mind. If all you do is think about it and never tell Him about it, you’re going to get hit a few times and the enemy will use you as a punching bag. It’s important to put on your protective gear and then you will have the freedom to engage in the game. Your attitude will reflect His peace that is guarding you and it won’t be as intimidating as it could be.
