“Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.”-Proverbs 4:23 

The heart is the most important organ in your body. Not only does it pump blood to the rest of the body, but it also holds the meaning of your existence. The heart is precious and deserves protection. After all, everything we do flows from our heart. So, we must keep our hearts pure, so our actions are pure. 

 Our thoughts are where we need to focus. The Apostle Paul wrote to the church in Philippi to watch out for your thoughts (Philippians 4:8). Do you know what forms our thoughts? How we entertain ourselves, what we watch and read dictates our thoughts. Left on our own understanding we will pick whatever is trending to for our entertainment. What goes in must come out. 

I am super cautious about what I read and watch.  I rarely watch what is trending and I try to stay away from popular books. I know how easy it is for our hearts to become entangled with the images portrayed in books and the suggestions we hear on television. I am very concerned about what my heart sees. I don’t watch movies with a lot of language or sex scenes. I used to get teased because growing up my favorite TV show wasn’t popular. In fact, that TV show was from the late ‘70s (a mere 20 years before I was born), but it was one of the most wholesome and not risqué in any meaning of the word. My favorite TV show growing up was The Waltons starring Richard Thomas, Ralph Waite and Michael Learned. I loved watching the Waltons so much I wore out the DVDs. 

I am 26 and can watch anything I want to, but I still don’t because I know that some of the most popular shows will not be good for my heart. It doesn’t take much for my heart to go into fantasy land. Whether it be that cute guy I saw, or something I read. That’s why it is so good to put up boundaries around your heart. A boundary I have placed around my heart is I don’t watch romance movies. I can’t watch Hallmark channel movies, each of those movies contain something I haven’t experienced yet… falling in love. Well, I have fallen into puppy love, but does that even count? 

The Apostle Paul wrote to the church in Philippi, 

 “Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, think about these things.” -Philippians 4:8 NIV

What is in your heart will come out in your actions. Jesus said it best when He said, 

“But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person.”-Matthew 15:18 NIV

I know when I am left to my own understanding, I will fall into evil every time. That’s why I have parameters around my heart. Some may call them walls, but I chose to believe that they are making me into the woman God created me to be. I can’t tell you how to guard your heart.  That is something only you and your Creator can decide. All I can do is tell you how I protect my heart and hopefully that will encourage you. 

I don’t watch what is popular (don’t get me started about the Bachelorette.) As for my reading material, I try to steer clear of the romance books. Sometimes you don’t know you are reading the wrong genre until you are halfway into the book. This happened to me a couple years ago. I was 300 pages into a work of fiction when God nudged me into putting that book down and writing a book. I learned a valuable lesson in reading that book. 

You are never too far into something for God to call you out of it. 

We always have the option to turn it off or close the book. When I don’t do my research on a movie, I tell myself If I don’t like it, I’ll turn it off. We always have the option. Don’t let a moment of indiscretion create a lifetime of regret.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Mary Hannah Thomas was born and raised in Social Circle, Georgia with her three siblings. Now she lives in the woods outside of Athens, Georgia. In between writing and spending time with Jesus, she enjoys a daily walk and baking. Mary Hannah is always down for a cup of coffee no matter what the time! To find more of her writing check out her blog: https://tbdmlp.wordpress.com/