Guarding the
Heart and Affections
Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. Proverbs 4:23
(KJV)
Guarding your heart and affections is
the primary aim of why I advocate courtship so strongly. It is a big part of
why I am writing this book. Far too many friends and acquaintances, have
“followed their heart” to emotional brokenness and the searing of their
conscience. At first, one’s conscience is prodded about the wrong being
committed when sinning. But if one continues without repenting, eventually the
conscience becomes numb to sin (1 Timothy 4:1-2). At first, there is the pain
of a few breakups and cautiousness about “how far to go” . . . . then, I have
sadly observed, it no longer matters. Jumping from partner to partner, pursuing
emotion, having a hollow life, and departing from the Faith are the fruit of
continuing down that path.
We must, dear readers, do everything that
we can to guard our affections. What I mean by this is that we must not let our
hearts become infatuated with one person, and then another. It takes
discipline, it isn’t easy, and you have to confront your own thoughts and watch
your mouth. Truly “Keep
thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.” I thank God that I have never crossed
any physical boundaries with the opposite sex, although my heart desperately
longed to in the past. By God’s grace, I have never so much as kissed a young
woman and thus my lips have been reserved for my future wife alone. My biggest struggle has been controlling my
affections, mainly by not entertaining a crush: fantasizing and playing up how
great a particular young woman is in my mind. I think we all can admit that we
have done that at one time or another. Our minds want to dwell on a particular
member of the opposite sex and ponder what it would be like to marry them. But
we must resist! Not only should we resist the devil and flee from temptation,
but we must guard our heart and the deep recesses of our mind: For the weapons of our warfare are
not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds; casting
down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the
knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of
Christ; And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your
obedience is fulfilled (2 Corinthians 10:4-6, KJV).
Please, Do not “follow your heart,” it is
unbiblical and dangerous!
He that trusteth in his own heart is
a fool: but whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered. Proverbs 28:26 (KJV)
The heart is deceitful above all things,
and desperately wicked: who can know it?
Jeremiah 17:9 (KJV)
But those things which proceed out
of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. 19 For out of the heart proceed
evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness,
blasphemies. Matthew 15:18-19 (KJV)
